Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 306: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the ongoing religious persecution of Ahmedin people in Pakistan; and if this persecution is taken into account in the event of persons of this community applying for asylum, citizenship or other such applications here. [43472/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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As my predecessor stated in the House on 6 February last, Ireland, together with its EU partners, continues to have concerns about human rights issues in Pakistan, including the situation of the Ahmedin. Promoting religious tolerance remains a key EU objective in Pakistan. We have urged the government there to make every effort to promote effectively the rights of minorities and to improve their current conditions. EU Council Conclusions on 28 April 2008 reaffirmed the importance of human rights in Pakistan as a central priority for the EU. Regular human rights demarches are carried out by the EU at official level with the Pakistani authorities. The situation of minorities was among the issues raised at the last demarche, which took place in June 2007. The EU expressed its continued concerns over abuses of the blasphemy laws, which are often used to harass members of minority communities as well as Muslims. Issues relating to applications for asylum and citizenship are the responsibility of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.