TWO Glasgow schoolboys threatened with deportation to Pakistan are being “psychologically damaged” by the actions of the Home Office, according to a Church of Scotland minister.
Rev Linda Pollock, who is campaigning for the boys and their parents to be granted asylum, says the treatment meted out to the Bakhsh family has already taken its toll.
She also hit out at the latest “insult” after officials summoned the family to the Home Office last week only to tell them after they arrived that it had been cancelled because of a “mistake”.
Pollock, who says she was banned from entering the Glasgow office with them after making forthright comments about officials handling the case, said it was just the latest “harassment” the family had suffered.
She said Maqsood and Parveen, the parents of Somer, 15, and Areeb, 13, had endured a sleepless night before the meeting because they were so anxious. “They are already living with high levels of anxiety about this and telling them to come to a meeting, then cancelling it is just adding insult to injury,” she said.
“I asked why it had been cancelled and the officials said it was because the MP is involved in their case but he has been involved for months and they know that. The family’s anxiety is already high and to have it built up even higher, then be told the meeting is being cancelled because of a mistake … why are they making mistakes at this level?
“They have been here nearly seven years – there should be no option but to grant them leave to remain. The boys are being psychologically damaged because of all this faffing about. I have known this family five years and I’ve watched the parents grow old because of this.”
The family, who are Christian, fled Pakistan fearing for their lives after Maqsood was subject to death threats from Islamic extremists. “They had a beautiful home; she’s a midwife and he is a data analyst with two masters degrees – they didn’t leave all that for no reason,” said Pollock.
“They genuinely fear for their lives and they are even more at risk now because of all the publicity over their case. I don’t understand why they are not granted asylum. The oldest boy achieved six As and a B in his National 5s this summer in the middle of all this stress and was picked to go on special physics courses at Glasgow University because he is so clever. Areeb is very bright too. They are going to get good jobs and pay taxes if they stay here and all the parents want to do is work and pay taxes too.”
Somer, right, and Areeb Bakhsh
Pollock said that not only had the parents been banned from working for all the years they have been in Scotland fighting for asylum, but Maqsood had now been told he couldn’t take any courses of study.
“He already says he feels shame because he is not able to show his boys how to earn a living. What is he expected to do? Twiddle his thumbs at home all day?” The Scottish Government, she said, should be given power over immigration.
“It’s absolute nonsense that they don’t have it. We need people here because we have an ageing population. We need to encourage good people like this family.
“The Home Office don’t see them as individuals though. They just seen them as numbers on a target they have to reach.”
She added: “If the Home Secretary, Sajid Javid, met them and heard their story he would jump at the chance to keep them here. In fact he would give them a reward for putting up with this suffering for such a long time. This is a family of the kindest, most gracious people who have held themselves with dignity throughout all this.”
Pollock added that the petition signed by more than 88,000 people and handed into the Home Office asking for their asylum plea to be granted had not even been acknowledged.
Last week 13 former Moderators and six other leaders from denominations including the Roman Catholic Church and the Scottish Episcopal Church signed an open letter by current Moderator, the Rt Rev Susan Brown, calling on Javid to re-examine the family’s case.
Yesterday a Home Office spokesperson said: “The UK has a proud history of granting asylum to those who need our protection and every case is assessed on its individual merits.”
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