Ibrahim Danish, a certified LEE humanitarian visa applicant (because he worked fo Save the Children prior the Taliban takeover in 2021), and his family are risking imminent deportation from Paikstan back to certain death in Afghanistan due to delays and bungles in Australian visa processing.

Key Messages

• Delays are all because of bureaucratic inefficiencies and bungling by the Aus govt - Ibrahim, and his sponsor Ali Corke, have promptly fulfilled every requirement
• It would only take a small intervention by someone in Dept Human Affairs to sign off on the visa for Ibrahim, his wife and children.
• We could also manage the medical requirements for his mother (if any are needed).
• Deportation looms on 12th September - it is not negotiable with Pakistan police.

Background information for contacting Tony Burke’s office (or your own MP or other cotacts)

Please include any or all of these in your correspondence:

1.      Certified for LEE (Locally engaged employee) in Dec 2024 - which means the Aus govt agrees he did work for Save the Children Australia, and because of this he is in mortal danger from a revengeful Taliban.

2.      Wife and father are also on Taliban Death lists due to their work with western NGOs

3.      Two children ages 2 and 6

4.       We are all horrified to learn that the family will be deported from Pakistan to Afghanistan on 12th September – just 11 days from today

5.     This predicament is because of bureaucratic inefficiencies and bungling by the Aus govt

6.       he went to Pakistan end of March as a Locally Engaged Employee (LEE) to receive medical tests and biometrics. These tests are mandatory and could only be done in Pakistan. Tests are simple.

7.       Ibrahim has twice renewed his Pakistan visa but there are no more possible extensions. When this visa runs out, the family will be deported back to Afghanistan to face certain death.

8.       family all finally called for testing in May. Different tests given to family members, no sputum tests for mother.

9.       Lengthy silence - so many letters to every govt dept asking for news, but all ignored.

10.   finally, contact was made

11.   medical results appear to have been lost for several weeks. He was told to personally provide results to Dept Human Affairs, but the clinic would not give them to him (and goodness, how he tried to get them)

12.   impasse - they asked for results, Ibrahim could not get them

13.   finally, results were shared with him, but the visa medical service said his mother now required tests that had not been completed in May 

14.   this means the results won’t be available until October, so no hope of mother receiving a visa for Australia before Pakvisa expires

15.   mother took heartrending decision to remain in Pakistan with father, sending Ibrahim, wife and grandchildren children on without them

16.   DHA agreed to split the visa applications, but still have not told Ibrahim when he might receive his visa, and we have no idea what will become of his parents now they are off the original application

17.   Ibrahim is LEE-certified, meaning it’s accepted he worked for Australia, delivering projects for Save the Children.

18.   Visa to remain in Pakistan expires 12th September. Renewal impossible. Police visit every day to threaten them with deportation in police trucks. (This is happening throughout Pakistan.)

19.   Deportation will mean torture and execution by Taliban (because Ibrahim worked for a western organisation).  

20.   No news or support from Australian government.