Urgent Action Needed for Ikram Family
transmitter | 02.08.2007 15:37 | Migration
The Ikram Family - Mohammed Kashif, his wife Ansa Kashif and their three children, Farid Ali, Abdul Rehman and Abdul Momin - were detained on Tuesday 31st July at the Home Office in Glasgow when they went to sign on.
The Family were taken to Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre. On Wednesday, after a check up by the doctor at Dungavel, Mohammed was transferred to hospital. Mohammed suffers from high blood pressure and in the past has had to be admitted into hospital in emergencies as a result. They're due to be forcibly removed from the UK on Saturday 4th July at 20:30hrs on a Gulf Air flight number GF006 to Pakistan.
The Family were taken to Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre. On Wednesday, after a check up by the doctor at Dungavel, Mohammed was transferred to hospital. Mohammed suffers from high blood pressure and in the past has had to be admitted into hospital in emergencies as a result. They're due to be forcibly removed from the UK on Saturday 4th July at 20:30hrs on a Gulf Air flight number GF006 to Pakistan.
Mohammed and his family fled Pakistan in September 2006 after he was
kidnapped and had his family threatened by powerful Pakistani
businessmen. Mohammed owed them money after investments he'd made on
their behalf had failed when the Pakistani government stopped the
companies he had invested in from trading following the earthquake in
2005.
Mohammed and his family were then threatened with their lives.
Mohammed was kidnapped and tortured by one of the businessmen but
then escaped after five days. These businessmen have attacked his
brother's house and his father in law's house in an effort to find
Mohammed and his wife and children. After going into hiding with
relatives for six months, the family came to the UK after the
businessmen kept finding where they were hiding.
In March this year, Ansa's sister and Mohammed's sister in law, Mona
Khalid, was shot and killed in a related attack.
There is little hope that if the family were returned to Pakistan at
the present moment, in light of the continuing civil unrest in
Pakistan, that the Pakistan government could provide the family with
protection.
USA Country Report on Human Rights Practices: Pakistan 2006
"The government's human rights record remained poor. Major problems
included restrictions on citizens' right to change their government,
extrajudicial killings, torture, and rape. The country experienced an
increase in disappearances of provincial activists and political
opponents, especially in provinces experiencing internal turmoil and
insurgencies. Poor prison conditions, arbitrary arrest, and lengthy
pretrial detention remained problems, as did a lack of judicial
independence. The government limited freedoms of association,
religion, and movement, and imprisoned political leaders. Corruption
was widespread in the government and police forces, and the
government made little attempt to combat the problem. Domestic
violence and abuse against women, such as honor crimes and
discriminatory legislation that affected women and religious
minorities remained serious problems. Widespread trafficking in
persons and exploitation of indentured, bonded, and child labor were
ongoing problems. Child abuse, commercial sexual exploitation of
children, discrimination against persons with disabilities, and
worker rights remained concerns."
Mohammed and his family are likely to face persecution if they are
returned to Pakistan.
Abdul Rehman and Farid Ali were attending Barmulloch Primary School.
Urgent Action
1. Fax the Rt Hon Jacqui Smith, MP, Secretary of State for the Home
Office asking that the Ikram family are allowed to stay in the UK.
Model letter /IkramfamilyML.doc/ attached that you can
copy/amend/write your own version, if you do, please remember to
include Mohammed's Home Office Reference Number J1149542.
Fax 020 7035 4745 / from outside UK+44 207 035 4745
2. Fax James Harrison CEO Gulf Air asking him not to remove the
family. Model letter /IkramfamilyGulfML.doc/ attached that you can
copy/amend/write your own version, if you do, please remember to
include the flight details: 20:30hrs, Saturday 4th August on Gulf Air
flight number GF006.
Fax number 020 8600 7462 /from outside UK+44 20 8600 7462
Please notify Unity of any faxes sent:
The Unity Centre
30 Ibrox Street
Glasgow G51 1AQ
0141 427 7992
theunitycentre@btconnect.com
www.unitycentreglasgow.org
kidnapped and had his family threatened by powerful Pakistani
businessmen. Mohammed owed them money after investments he'd made on
their behalf had failed when the Pakistani government stopped the
companies he had invested in from trading following the earthquake in
2005.
Mohammed and his family were then threatened with their lives.
Mohammed was kidnapped and tortured by one of the businessmen but
then escaped after five days. These businessmen have attacked his
brother's house and his father in law's house in an effort to find
Mohammed and his wife and children. After going into hiding with
relatives for six months, the family came to the UK after the
businessmen kept finding where they were hiding.
In March this year, Ansa's sister and Mohammed's sister in law, Mona
Khalid, was shot and killed in a related attack.
There is little hope that if the family were returned to Pakistan at
the present moment, in light of the continuing civil unrest in
Pakistan, that the Pakistan government could provide the family with
protection.
USA Country Report on Human Rights Practices: Pakistan 2006
"The government's human rights record remained poor. Major problems
included restrictions on citizens' right to change their government,
extrajudicial killings, torture, and rape. The country experienced an
increase in disappearances of provincial activists and political
opponents, especially in provinces experiencing internal turmoil and
insurgencies. Poor prison conditions, arbitrary arrest, and lengthy
pretrial detention remained problems, as did a lack of judicial
independence. The government limited freedoms of association,
religion, and movement, and imprisoned political leaders. Corruption
was widespread in the government and police forces, and the
government made little attempt to combat the problem. Domestic
violence and abuse against women, such as honor crimes and
discriminatory legislation that affected women and religious
minorities remained serious problems. Widespread trafficking in
persons and exploitation of indentured, bonded, and child labor were
ongoing problems. Child abuse, commercial sexual exploitation of
children, discrimination against persons with disabilities, and
worker rights remained concerns."
Mohammed and his family are likely to face persecution if they are
returned to Pakistan.
Abdul Rehman and Farid Ali were attending Barmulloch Primary School.
Urgent Action
1. Fax the Rt Hon Jacqui Smith, MP, Secretary of State for the Home
Office asking that the Ikram family are allowed to stay in the UK.
Model letter /IkramfamilyML.doc/ attached that you can
copy/amend/write your own version, if you do, please remember to
include Mohammed's Home Office Reference Number J1149542.
Fax 020 7035 4745 / from outside UK+44 207 035 4745
2. Fax James Harrison CEO Gulf Air asking him not to remove the
family. Model letter /IkramfamilyGulfML.doc/ attached that you can
copy/amend/write your own version, if you do, please remember to
include the flight details: 20:30hrs, Saturday 4th August on Gulf Air
flight number GF006.
Fax number 020 8600 7462 /from outside UK+44 20 8600 7462
Please notify Unity of any faxes sent:
The Unity Centre
30 Ibrox Street
Glasgow G51 1AQ
0141 427 7992
theunitycentre@btconnect.com www.unitycentreglasgow.org
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