Skip to main content

Proceeding contribution from Alistair Burt (Conservative) in the House of Commons on Thursday, 1 March 2012. It occurred during Adjournment debate on Hazara People (Quetta).


Hazara People (Quetta)

I acknowledge the right hon. Gentleman's second point. He has referred to terrifying statistics about the absence of justice. As I said, we remain very concerned about the response of the Pakistani authorities to those statistics, and we will apply pressure in relation to them. In response to his first point: absolutely. Hon. Members are bound to raise the issues of individual communities. The point of our approach is to set those cases in context so that we are not pitting one community against another by indicating that one is treated worse than another, and recognising that the absence of the rule of law and human rights can affect so many people. I think that we are all doing this in exactly the right way. The right hon. Gentleman and other hon. Members are absolutely right to raise certain different communities, as they have today. We are right in putting that into context and demanding justice for all, because unless there is justice for all, justice is denied for those who are outside that embrace. The United Kingdom will continue to work with the leaders of Pakistan and its people—people who deserve to experience a stable and prosperous future, to enjoy vibrant democratic debate without fear of intimidation, and to live in a country where freedom of religion is not undermined by sectarian violence. We have a distinctive role to play in supporting that sort of Pakistan. I am grateful for the work of many Members of the House as we continue to work with Pakistan towards that vision. Question put and agreed to.


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
541 c544 
Session
2010-12
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
Subjects
Human rights Minority groups Pakistan Violence Oppression
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk