Keep the Akhtar Family in Canada

(Urgent cyber action required)

    Shamim Akhtar, her husband Naeem Khan, her daughter Sadaf Ali Khan (16 years old), daughter Sadia Ali Khan (14 years old), son Shan Ali Khan (12 years old) and son Sameer Ali Khan (2 years old) are facing deportation from Montreal, Canada on June 29, 2004.

    The family was refused as refugee claimants in Montreal in August 2002 despite the grave risk they face if deported to Pakistan, either directly or indirectly through the United States.

    In Karachi, Pakistan the family were the direct targets of the militant and sectarian organization Sipeh-e-Sahaba (SSP). Naeem was beaten and brutalized several times, including once with bicycle chains, while Shamim and her daughters were held at gun point in thier homes.

    The family came to Canada in the hopes of finding a more humane refugee determination system affording them the protection they sought and deserved. Their refugee hearing took place in August 2002. They were subsequently denied on patently unfair grounds.

    The judge ruled that there was no significant threat to their life, especially considering that President Musharraf had outlawed the SSP and that order had been restored. This is clearly contrary to the IRB's own reports (including US State Department reports that the judge misquoted) and given the reality in Pakistan this past month alone: at least two suicide bombings, numerous assualts, targeted killings and shoot-outs, with Karachi being held under curfew last week. The rise in violence is pervasive throughout Karachi, Lahore, Queta and other Pakistani areas.

    An Amnesty report confirms that „President Musharraf banned five more organizations including the SSP, but most of these announcements were only inadequately implemented; the ban on sectarian organizations was not fully enforced. In the last three years have seen an upsurge of systematic targeted killings of people particularly in Karachi.‰ This can certainly be supported in light of recent serious violence in Karachi and Lahore over the past month.

    While in Canada, the family has been extremely involved in trying to raise awareness about refugees and about hundreds of others facing similar desperate situations. Their youngest son Sameer is Canadian born and it is the duty of the Canadian government to provide a stable and safe home for him in Montreal. Sadaf, their eldest daughter, is an extraordinary athlete and student, having won several gold medals at her school. Sadia was the best Science student in her class, while Shan has recieved gold medals on his track and field team. The children are fluent in English and French and their parents are hard working.

What you can do to help:  Email/fax,  Judy Sgro, Canadian Minister for Citizenship and Immigration  requesting that Akhtar family are allowed to stay in Canada. You can use the model letter attached. Copy/amend/write your own version, feel free to add your own comments.

Judy Sgro, Canadian Minister for Citizenship and Immigration
Fax: from the UK/Europe 00 1 613 947 8319 others countries + 1 613 947 8319

or

E-mail: Minister@cic.gc.ca

Please send copies of anything sent to:
Akhtar Family Campaign
c/0 No One is Illegal
Montreal
514 812 0858
noii-montreal@resist.ca
In Solidarity,
The Action Committee of Pakistani Refugees Canada

Source for thispage:
christoff@resist.ca