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<p>The UK Government remains firmly committed to promoting and protecting the right
to freedom of religion or belief, as set out in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights. We are concerned about reports of abuses against religious minorities
in Pakistan. The UK Government strongly condemns the persecution of all minorities,
including the targeting of innocent people based on their beliefs. The UK’s concerns
are reflected in the latest update to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s annual
Human Rights Report, which is publicly available. The UK raises human rights issues
and the rights of minorities on a regular basis at the highest levels in Pakistan
and we ensure our development assistance targets poor women and men, regardless of
race, religion, social background, or nationality. Although DFID does not fund programmes
that directly promote Article 18, we do help to foster tolerance and social cohesion
between different religious groups through our AAWAZ voice and accountability programme.</p>
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