REQUEST: Ghufran Haider's Emergency Situation

[UPDATE, Sept. 9, 2007: There's a happy ending to this story - see the follow up here.]

In late April 2006, award-winning journalist and filmmaker, Sharmeen Obaid (Discovery, NYT TV, PBS, etc) sent out a plea about the unusual case of Ghufran Haider, a young man who saved hundreds of lives in a Karachi by stopping a suicide bomber (see that letter below). He was badly injured and also in danger because of testimony he gave in court and so went to Dubai on a visitor's visa. Now Sharmeen has written again, saying the visa expires on May 19 and that unless is he able to go to a third country or get asylum, he will be killed in Pakistan. Please read both letters below. If you have any ideas, please share them with Sharmeen - sharmeenobaid[at]hotmail.com and CC saja@columbia.edu. You are welcome to post general comments below, but please don't leave sensitive messages for Sharmeen there.

From Sharmeen Obaid
May 15, 2007 7:42 AM

Dear All,

I wrote to you a few weeks back asking for your help...Ghufran Haider, the
young man who stopped a suicide bombing in Pakistan and whose testimony led
to one of the accomplices being awarded the death penalty in Karachi, needs
help more than ever.

He is currently in Dubai, his visa expires on the 19th and he has nowhere to
go...The UAE government is not granting him an extension. I am feeling
hopeless now...He will fly back to Pakistan because he feels he has
exhausted all his options. UAE does not recognize refugee status and they
will arrest and deport him if he overstays his visa.

He has registered with UNHCR but its slow moving...If he does fly home on
the 19th, he will be killed. Already his family are being harrassed daily,
his brother has been threatened as has his ailing grandfather...To top it
all off, he has no money in Dubai...He has only 4 days left...

I know that between us we can help him, so im reaching out to see if any of
you can get him help from a third country soon...We must help Ghufran, his
voice should not be silenced...

Please get in touch with me immediately...
Thank you
Sharmeen

Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy
www.sharmeenobaidfilms.com
sharmeenobaid[at]hotmail.com

From Sharmeen Obaid
Apr 22, 2007 5:03 PM

Dear All,
I am writing to you with an urgent matter. Two year ago, I did a film for
Channel 4 called "Pakistan's Double Game"
http://www.sharmeenobaidfilms.com/pakdoublegame.html

in the film i profiled a young man named Ghufran Haider, a shia who saved
the lives of hundreds of worshippers by throwing himself on a suicide bomber
in a mosque in Karachi.

He was the first Pakistani ever to stop a suicide bombing and it took a lot
of courage on his part to do so.

He was severely injured and his (poor) family had to bear the cost of his
operations.

This year, Ghufran's testimony in court led to the death penalty being
awarded to two of the suicide bomber's accompalices. Now, his family is
constantly being threatened and as usual the Pakistani government has done
nothing to help him or his family.

He managed to leave Pakistan a few days ago and is currently in Dubai on a
visitor visa which expires in 2 weeks. If he goes back to Pakistan, he will
almost certainly be killed by the Sunni militants.

He is reaching out to me for help but i dont know how i can assist him,
given that i am myself a citizen of Pakistan and not sure where he can claim
asylum.

Pakistanis in general never take risks, they seldom give testimony in court
and almost never risk their lives, so i feel compelled to help him...

If any of you have any ideas, or know of anyone he can contact who can help
him gain asylum, please please get in touch with me...This young man's life
is at stake and for those of us who are fighting againt terrorism, we know
how important it is that a voice like his is saved...
Please e-mail me..
Thank you
Sharmeen

Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy
www.sharmeenobaidfilms.com
sharmeenobaid[at]hotmail.com

Comments

[Anonymous]

Why not seek asylum, or at least a tourist visa, in India, (though I
imagine this may be politically fraught with unintended consequences for
Haider)? But if he is amenable to considering this option, I trust
enough of us Indian Americans can bring some influence to bear on
India's representatives in Washington to make this happen.

[Anonymous]

My experience is that if Mr. Haider can get to any entry point, he can claim refugee asylum in Canada and they will let him stay while they process his asylum application. The problem will be that no Canadian Embassy will likely issue a visa and he will find it very
hard to board a plane without one. Go to Immigration Canada's
website and look up "Going to Canada as a Refugee"

[Adam Rizvi]

Congratulations ,Sharmeen,for helping Ghufran Haider,No doubt he is a hero.