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REX/Ray Tang
UK News

UK government reveals discussions over Pakistan's blasphemy laws

by Aaron James

David Simpson, a Christian and DUP MP for Upper Bann in Northern Ireland, submitted a written question asking whether the Foreign Secretary Phillip Hammond (pictured above) would call for the abolition of those laws with politicians in Pakistan.

Pakistan's blasphemy laws often cause Christians to be unfairly prosecuted for criticising Islam.

In one case, Asia Bibi has been on death row for the last six years over blasphemy charges which she denies.

In response to David Simpson's question, Foreign Office minister Tobias Ellwood said that Phillip Hammond had previously spoken to Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif about the laws and the country's Interior Minister only last month.

Prime Minister David Cameron has also raised concerns over Pakistan's blasphemy laws in December 2014 with Prime Minister Sharif.

Tobias Ellwood has also raised concerns himself about the country's blasphemy laws on two occasions, speaking to a visiting group of Pakistani politicians in February and also to the High Commissioner of Pakistan more recently in June.

Tobias Ellwood said the British government would continue to raise their concerns over the laws.

He said in response to Mr Simpson: "We regularly raise our concerns about Pakistan's blasphemy laws and the need for reform, as well as concerns about specific cases where individuals have been accused of blasphemy.

"In February 2015, I raised UK concerns about the blasphemy laws with a group of visiting Pakistani Parliamentarians. In June, I conveyed to the High Commissioner for Pakistan our ongoing concern about the application of the blasphemy law in Pakistan.

"The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), discussed Pakistan's blasphemy laws with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in November 2014 and in August, during wide-ranging discussions, raised broader UK concerns around religious freedom and human rights with Pakistan's Interior Minister.

"In December 2014 my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister the member for Witney (Mr Cameron) also stressed our concerns about Pakistan's blasphemy law with Prime Minister Sharif.

"We will ensure that this issue continues to be raised at the highest levels in Pakistan."

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