NEW LABOUR immigration minister Des Browne MP was confronted by the human reality of his policies when the Aftab family stopped him at an integration conference in Manchester last week.
The entire family faces imminent deportation.
They asked him to review their claim. The Aftabs suffered religious persecution in Pakistan, where they received telephone death threats.
Tabassum fled the country in 2000 with her four children, Rabia, Amna, Zahrah and Alina.
Rabia, 18, told Socialist Worker, “We are trying to get Des Browne’s attention.
“He is the only person who can stop our removal. It is a very tense situation.”
Despite the widespread support and compassion shown for this family across the city, Des Browne told the conference not to ask him to use his discretionary powers on compassionate grounds.