THE controversial decision to deport a City of Glasgow College student was last night branded “barbaric” by his constituency MP, who vowed to fight to bring Majid Ali back to Scotland.
The SNP’s Chris Stephen said he was “absolutely disgusted” that the Home Office had forced Ali to leave to UK, despite warnings from campaigners that he had been “sent to his death”.
An NUS spokesman confirmed that Ali had boarded a plane from Heathrow Airport on Tuesday night at approximately 11.30pm despite efforts made by friends and campaigners opposing his deportation.
Supporters of the #DontDeportMajid campaign, insist Ali, who was being held at Dungavel detention centre, could face being attacked and possibly murdered when he returns to Pakistan due to his work as a political activist.
Ali had been seeking asylum in Scotland since 2011 after his Baloch nationalist political activities put him at risk of harm in Pakistan.
His concern for his safety in his home town of Balochistan followed the enforced ‘disappearance’ of his brother and the murders of his uncle and cousin.
Stephens, the MP for Glasgow South West, where Ali was living, sponsored a petition to halt the student’s deportation. The petition, signed by 59 MPs, urged the Home Secretary to urgently review Ali’s case.
Stephens’ request for a case review, lodged on Monday, states: “This House is deeply concerned by the detention of City of Glasgow student Majid Ali ... expresses concern that Majid will be in danger of physical harm, and even death, if he is deported ... and further calls on the Government to make changes to the asylum process so that this type of situation can never happen again.”
Stephens told The National: “I don’t think he should have been deported, that’s my judgment. There was sufficient evidence, new evidence in fact, as some of Majid’s relatives had been killed, and sufficient grounds to certainly delay deportation.
“I’m absolutely disgusted that the Home Office ignored my request for a meeting on the issue. I think it highlights the barbaric way people are treated in these situations. I’m going to be writing questions to the Home Office now and I’m definitely going to be taking it up with the National Union of Students, not just concerning Majid’s case, but to ensure that this never happens to a student ever again.
“Other MPs including Alistair Carmichael and some Plaid Cymru MPs signed the petition.
“I’m also talking to some human rights groups who will be monitoring the situation very closely. I’m hoping that Majid Ali will be able to return to the UK.”
Gary Paterson, president of the University of Strathclyde Students’ Association and vice president of NUS Scotland, who supported the campaign against Ali’s deportation, said: “We were absolutely encouraged by the massive public response to this and we can’t thank enough the Members of Parliament who in large numbers challenged the decision”.
He added: “There absolutely must be a review into these decisions and we need to keep an eye on Majid to ensure awareness of his story and his ongoing safety.”
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