Students mount campaign against Majid Ali being deported back to politically violent region of Pakistan
A campaign has been mounted to halt the deportation of a City of Glasgow College student who is facing deportation back to Pakistan.
Protesters gathered outside the Scotland Office in Edinburgh to show support for Majid Ali, who is currently being held in Dungavel Detention Centre, demanding the UK government revisits his case.
Ali, who is facing repatriation to Balochistan – a province in southwest Pakistan – claimed asylum after his brother went missing, feared dead, during a Pakistan government crackdown on insurgents in the area.
Now campaigners say they are concerned for the safety of Ali who they believe faces potential death if he is deported.
We're really concerned that if he is deported, he'll face persecution and even torture or murder - Gordon Maloney
Gary Paterson, president of the University of Strathclyde Students' Association, said: “Right now there is a student from this city sitting in an immigration prison having only committed the crime of seeking an education away from political persecution. Students are disgusted that we can be plucked from our campuses and flung from our lives and studies to a dangerous future.
“It is unacceptable that students can have their lives disrupted and destroyed, we call on the UK government to halt this deportation, return Majid from the prospect of a politically motivated murder back to his fellow students and loved ones, and review these processes to ensure this never happens again.”
Glasgow South West MP Chris Stephens has written to the Home Office seeking an urgent review of the case and will lay down a motion in the House of Common in an attempt to halt Ali's deportation.
Stephens said: “As Mr Ali is one of my constituents, I have written to the immigration minister and the Scottish secretary asking for an urgent review of the case.
“It is clear that the community have genuine fears for Mr Ali’s life if he is deported. It is fairly obvious to anyone looking at this case that Majid should be allowed to stay as there would be a genuine fear for his life if he was deported.
“I would like to thank them for their efforts, and with that I am campaigning for him not to be deported – we are seeing here the barbaric ways in which people like Mr Ali are being treated.”
President of NUS Scotland, Gordon Maloney, said there were genuine fears for his safety if Ali gets deported.
“We're really concerned that if he is deported, he'll face persecution and even torture or murder," Maloney said.
“In the last few years, his brother was kidnapped by government forces and his uncle and cousin were killed.
“We're really worried about the fate that might await him if he is deported."
