| answer text |
<p>In his statement of 9 February, the Foreign Secretary recognised serious concerns
about the inclusivity of Pakistan's elections and stressed the need for the new government
to represent the interests of all Pakistan's citizens and communities. The UK advocates
against any measures which restrict an individual's right to vote, including discriminatory
measures used against religious minority communities such as the Ahmadiyya Muslim
community. On 19 January, I raised the need for inclusivity in the elections with
Pakistan's Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani. On 25 September 2023, the
former Foreign Secretary raised the importance of credible, inclusive and timely elections
with Pakistan's Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-haq Kakar. On 21 August, I wrote
to Foreign Minister Jilani to raise concerns about the treatment of minority religious
communities and underline the need to ensure all Pakistan's citizens, including Ahmadi
Muslims, are able to exercise their democratic rights.</p>
|
|
