PLEASE HELP THIS FAMILY

The Ali family - Misbah and her two children, son Sharhoiz (6) and daughter Noor (4) - were detained on Thursday 2nd August at the Home Office in Glasgow when they went to sign. The family were taken to Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre and then moved to Tinsely House on Sunday 5th August.

They're due to be forcibly removed from the UK on Wednesday 8th August at 20:30hrs on a Gulf Air flight number GF6-738 to Pakistan via Muscat.

Misbah Irfan Ali Home Office Reference Number A1329280
Misbah, Sharhoiz and Noor Ali arrived in Glasgow from Pakistan in September 2006. She claimed asylum because of domestic abuse which began after her marriage in 2000 and involved physical, sexual and emotional violence. Misbah has had to seek medical help and has been hospitalised because of the violence. Her husband tried to set fire to her, strangle her and throw her from the roof. He also attacked her while she was holding her children. Misbah still experiences ongoing pain as a result of the sustained abuse.Mishab received little protection from neighbours or her doctor and fears that if she returns to Pakistan she will be killed. Misbah's sister is still being harassed by her husband as he demands to know Misbah's whereabouts and we have obtained a police report filed by her brother in law about the husband's recent harassment and threats.


According to Human Rights Watch, domestic violence victims in Pakistan have virtually no access to judicial protection and redress. Officials at all levels of the criminal justice system do not consider domestic violence a matter for the criminal courts. Domestic violence is routinely dismissed by law enforcement authorities as a private dispute and female victims who attempt to register a police complaint of spousal or familial physical abuse are invariably turned away. Worse, they are regularly advised and sometimes pressured by the police to reconcile with their abusive spouses or relatives.


Because of the abuse, Misbah is on antidepressants and experinces anxiety attacks. Her children have also been affected. Noor is very withdrawn and Sharhoiz is extremely anxious about leaving his mother and going to school. He has also recently been diagnosed with epilepsy. Despite this the family are settling well into Glasgow and Misbah is building a strong local support network. Misbah has taken part in a number of local training programmes and her children are settling well into school and nursery and are well liked by their peers and teaching staff.

If this family is returned to Pakistan, Misbah as a single mother is in a great deal of danger.

Misbah's Scottish friends and neighbours are calling for everyone to take urgent action to stop this lovely family from being forcibly returned to Pakistan.



Urgent Action
1. Fax the Rt Hon Jacqui Smith, MP, Secretary of State for the Home Office asking that the Ali family are allowed to stay in the UK. A model letter is attached that you can copy/amend/write your own version, if you do, please remember to include Misbah's Home Office Reference Number A1329280.

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. A model letter is attached that you can copy/amend/write your own version, if you do, please remember to include the flight details: 20:30hrs, Wednesday 8th August on Gulf Air flight number GF6-738.


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