Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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124. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Ireland's position in relation to military operations conducted by the Pakistani state in Balochistan and the alleged human rights abuses being carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3642/24]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware of ongoing unrest in parts of Pakistan, including the south-western province of Balochistan, which has witnessed violent insurgencies and ethnic conflict in recent years.

Ireland engages regularly with Pakistan on political and human rights issues in the country, at both bilateral and multilateral level. Senior officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs held bilateral and political consultations with the Pakistani Foreign Ministry in Islamabad on 18 May 2023, during which the domestic political situation and human rights issues were discussed in detail.

The promotion and protection of universal human rights is a cornerstone of Irish foreign policy, including the freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and association, and freedom to participate in the political process. Human rights is also an important part of the EU-Pakistan dialogue and various concerns were raised at the EU-Pakistan Sub-Group on Democracy, Governance, Rule of Law and Human Rights during the 13th EU-Pakistan Joint Commission on 22 June 2023.

The EU is deeply concerned by the rise in religiously-based violence against minorities in Pakistan. EU representatives raised this issue at the Human Rights Council last October and called on the Pakistani authorities to bring the perpetrators of such acts to justice, as well as to reform the blasphemy laws and take all necessary steps to stop their abuse and guarantee the protection of all minorities.

In January 2023, Ireland made an intervention during Pakistan’s Universal Periodic Review at the 42nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council. We recommended that Pakistan amend blasphemy legislation to avoid unjustly targeting or discriminating against any religious minority. We also recommended that Pakistan establish an independent inquiry into all suspected cases of enforced disappearance, and hold alleged perpetrators to account. Ireland will continue to support Pakistan’s efforts to advance human rights through this UN Human Rights Council mechanism, acknowledging progress where appropriate.

Ireland does not impose any unilateral sanctions regimes, but implements UN and EU sanctions. EU restrictive measures are used as part of an integrated and comprehensive policy approach and are subject to guidelines and best practices within the framework of the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy. Ireland and the EU will continue to raise issues of concern in Pakistan both bilaterally and in multilateral fora as an effective means of advancing our human rights priorities.

Following the recent Iranian airstrikes on Balochistan and Pakistani response, the EU expressed concern about a “spiral of violence in the Middle East and beyond”, noting its destabilising effect on the region.

The Embassy of Ireland in Türkiye, which is accredited to Pakistan, continues to monitor the situation in Pakistan closely, in close consultation with the EU Delegation in Islamabad, pending the opening of an Embassy of Ireland in Islamabad later this year.