UK minister and a Secretary of State Grant Shapps has raised the issue of Dr Deen Mohammad’s disappearance with UK’s Foreign & Commonwealth Office.
In response the Foreign Office has confirmed that The UK Government remains concerned about reports of enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killings in Pakistan.
Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, the minister of State for South Asia and the Commonwealth, in response letter to Grant Shapps has said that UK is continuously monitoring the human rights situation in Pakistan closely. “The UK Government remains concerned about reports of enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killings in Pakistan. The UK Government regularly raises its concerns about the vital need to respect human rights and the rule of law at the highest levels within the Government of Pakistan. We advocate greater tolerance and action against human rights violations and abuses,” reads the letter.
Grant Shapps had earlier raised the issue of Dr Deen Mohammad’s disappearance with Lord Tariq Ahmed’s office. This had come after president of Baloch National Movement UK Branch, Hakeem Wadhela, had contacted Grant Shapps regarding the issue.
Mr Grant Shapps has also assured that he will ask the foreign and commonwealth office about the cases of abductions and the human rights violations taking place in Balochistan and what actions are being taken by British government regarding this situation.
Speaking with TBP the General secretary of BNM UK Branch Niaz Zehri said that “Contacting the Parliamentarians and raising awareness about the issues of Balochistan is part of BNM’s policy on which we are working on regular basis”.
Niaz Zehri added: ”Our goal is to tell the world about the problems that baloch people are facing on a daily basis. And to tell them that why all these human rights violations are taking place in Balochistan.”
Lord Ahmad’s letter, a copy of which TBP has seen, also confirms that the British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Dr. Christian Turner CMG, discussed civic freedoms and legislation on enforced disappearances with Dr Shireen Mazari, Pakistan’s Minister for Human Rights, on 8 June.
Lord Ahmad further says: “I raise concerns about the human rights situation in Pakistan regularly with Dr Mazari, most recently on 15 July. I also engage with Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the UK about our human rights concerns, including on 23 June.”
