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Pakistan: Blasphemy Laws

Volume 709: debated on Monday 16 March 2009

Question

Asked by

To ask Her Majesty's Government when they last raised with the Government of Pakistan the use of Pakistan's blasphemy legislation for malicious reasons; and what was the response. [HL1893]

The UK, through our EU partners, regularly raises the concerns over the situation of religious minorities in Pakistan who are affected by the arbitrary application of Pakistan's blasphemy laws. Most recently, in January this year, with our EU partners, we issued a demarche calling on the Government of Pakistan to “effectively protect freedom of belief and freedom of expression and to reform discriminatory legislation, in particular blasphemy laws”.