Reprieve for family who faced being deported

A family of Pakistani Christians who faced being deported from the UK won a last-minute reprieve last night just hours before they were due to board a flight to their homeland.

Asad and Gullrukh Gul and their three young children were taken from their home in Glasgow to the Dungavel Detention Centre in South Lanarkshire late last week and were then transferred to the Yarl’s Wood facility in Bedfordshire and were due to be deported to Lahore at around 9pm last night.

Friends of the family, who say they fled from Lahore after they were persecuted by Islamic extremists because of their faith, last night welcomed the development. “We are absolutely delighted”, said Graeme Bell, the minister of Carnwadric Church in the community of Kennishead in the south of Glasgow.

“They genuinely feel their lives are at risk if they return to Pakistan.”

The family fled Pakistan almost a year ago after Mr Gul was targeted for printing Christian literature and accused of blasphemy, an offence which carries the death penalty. If he is returned to Pakistan and executed, his children, aged 18 months, three and five, will be put in the care of a Muslim family.

The family’s supporters, including many senior figures from within the Church of Scotland, had earlier protested against the decision to deport the family. They said a supporting statement from Mrs Gul’s sister, who successfully obtained asylum and lives in London, was not submitted with the original application to remain in the UK but was now available and should be taken into consideration before any further action was taken.

Pastor Frederick D’Costa, minister of New Mercy Church, said last night: “It is a miracle. They were sitting waiting for the flight to go to Pakistan and then they were told they were not going anywhere. The whole of Glasgow is happy.” A spokesman for the Home Office said: “We will not remove someone if they have an application outstanding or are pursuing an avenue of appeal.”

The Herald