We are concerned by restrictions on freedom of expression in Pakistan, including the detention of human rights activists, in Pakistan. We are also concerned about constraints on the operating space for civil society and NGOs in Pakistan. The freedom to hold and express views without censorship, intimidation or unnecessary restriction is a cornerstone of democracy. The arrest and release under bail of Gulalai Ismail is a further worrying development against the backdrop of restrictions on fundamental rights in Pakistan.<\/p>
We regularly raise at a senior level our concerns about the human rights situation with the Government of Pakistan, including on the freedom of expression. I discussed human rights in Pakistan with the Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari, in September 2018.<\/p>
The British High Commission in Islamabad will continue to support civil society and NGOs in lobbying the Government of Pakistan to honour in practice its international commitments, including on freedom of expression.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4210", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-10-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-10-29T13:45:12.063Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-10-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Gulalai Ismail"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assistance they will give to Gulalai Ismail, the Pakistani humanist and human rights activist who was arrested in Islamabad on 12 October before being released on bail with her passport confiscated.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/840", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Garel-Jones"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Garel-Jones"} ], "uin" : "HL10642"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/385705", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/385705/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "The Balance of Competences Review examined how the principle of subsidiarity applied in areas of EU action. It found that the mechanisms for protecting subsidiarity and proportionality could be improved in a number of ways, in particular by improving the role of national parliaments as the guardians of subsidiarity and affording them closer involvement in the EU\u2019s functioning. The Government is seeking a stronger role for national Parliaments as part of its renegotiation."} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3474", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Anelay of St Johns"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-07-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-07-03T13:53:25.98Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2015-06-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Subsidiarity"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what assessment they have made of the functioning of the principle of subsidiarity as a result of the procedures brought into effect by the Treaty of Lisbon; and what action they plan to take as part of the United Kingdom's renegotiation with its European Union partners to ensure that the subsidiarity principle is strengthened to the benefit of national governments and parliaments.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/840", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Garel-Jones"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Garel-Jones"} ], "uin" : "HL829"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 2, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }