Stop the deportation of our player

Author: Easton Cowboys Cricket Club

Easton Cowboys Cricket Club are campaigning to stop one of our cricket players Syed Ahad Rizvi and his sister Anum Fatima being deported (“removed” in the Home Office’s jargon) from the country. They have been taken from their family and are currently in an ‘immigration removal centre’. The family are seeking asylum after their extended family and community were  threatened by the militant groups Sipah-e-Sahaba and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi which are linked with the Taliban.

Please sign the petition and get Ahad and Anum back to their family in Bristol.

The family’s lawyer has summarised the case:

Some of you may have heard of the predicament of one of our players, Ahad Rizvi. Ahad’s father came to the UK lawfully. He was then lawfully joined by Ahad and the rest of his family from Pakistan where they are a minority. Their extended family has suffered kidnapping, torture and murder and they have suffered threats, harassment and attempted kidnapping. Several months after the arrival in the UK they received information that made their return to Pakistan extremely dangerous. They did not overstay their visa or simply abscond as many people do. They went to solicitors and made a proper application for asylum in the UK. Unfortunately, the family has been let down on a number of fronts and all of their legal avenues have been exhausted. Both Ahad and his sister have been held in immigration detention since 25th March 2014. They were issued removal directions and taken to Heathrow to board a flight 15th April 2014. They refused to board. They were terrified. They have no family in Pakistan. Their extended family has long since left and are in Canada, the US, Dubai and Iran. Anum is a year older than Ahad. In Pakistan she would not be considered to have any protection because her brother is younger. Both will be at risk of assault, torture and death. Anum will be at risk of rape. Law and order in Pakistan are fragile and victims receive very little protection if at all.

This is a law abiding family. They are educated and responsible. Both Anum and Ahad have clearly demonstrated a commitment to education and to improving theirs and others lives. They have undertaken voluntary work in the community and Ahad, together with his brothers Samad, and Sadiq, has become an valued and integral member of the Easton Cowboys Cricket Club. Both parents suffer from multiple health problems and the youngest sibling, who is aged 5, has medical issues also. The family is traumatised by the separation and simply want to establish a lawful life free from the daily fear of threats, harassment and the fear of kidnap, torture and murder.

http://eastoncowboys.org.uk/support-ahad-and-anum-rizvi/
http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/theresa-may-stop-the-deportation-of-easton-cowboys-cricketer-ahad-rizvi-and-his-sister-anum-rizvi-return-them-to-their-family-in-fishponds-bristol
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Support-Ahad-and-Anum/1484706438409036