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Farhat Khan with supporters hands in a 10,000 signature petition against her deportation
‘Deport me and I die’
Shelina Begum4/ 5/2004
A MANCHESTER based asylum seeker says she will become the victim
of an 'honour killing' if she is forced to return to
Pakistan.
Mother-of-five Farhat Khan, aged 52 from Cheetham fled from her
abusive husband in Pakistan with her children to England three
years ago and claimed asylum.
But after losing an appeal against deportation she fears if she is
forced back to Pakistan her husband will kill her for
'dishonouring' his name and beat her children.
Farhat is from the North West Frontier province of Pakistan where
the 'honour' custom is common allowing violent retribution on women
who challenge their husbands or male relatives authority.
Farhat claims she suffered 10 years of physical abuse from her
husband. When he also started mistreating her children she decided
it was time to leave the country.
Said Farhat: "In Pakistan, I was working for non-government
organisations helping women in similar situations yet I couldn't
help myself.
"Going to work was a huge problem as my husband did not want me to
be out and earning because he felt I was bringing shame to the
family.
"They tried to stop me by beating me and locking me up and if I
went out people would follow me.
"My husband is a rich businessman who splits his time between
Pakistan and America, but even when he wasn't around, his family
were under strict instructions to "keep me in line".
"I was getting abuse from everybody. But most of all my children
were unhappy, as they also became victims of domestic violence. I
could handle it on myself, but not on my children."
Farhat said he was possessive over her daughters and would not let
them out of the house or go to school because they will come into
contact with men who were not relatives.
The final straw for Farhat was when her husband decided to marry
his two daughters, aged five and eight, to their cousins.
During one of her husband's visits to America, she took her chance
to leave.
She said: "With my husband around it was impossible for me to flee,
so I waited until he left for America and with the help of friends
I came to England.
"My husband found out I was here and he has threatened me over the
phone. I'm in constant fear that I will wake up one morning and he
will be here. Even though I am far away I still feel unsafe."
To add to Farhat's problems, her permission to work has been
withdrawn by the Home Office.
After claiming asylum, Farhat chose got a job rather than live on
benefits. She received a work permit and was employed as a
Urdu/Punjabi speaking advice worker for the Cheetham Hill Advice
Centre for nearly two years.
Staff at the centre staged an outdoor advice surgery with Farhat to
gain support from the community.
A petition with almost 10,0000 signatures was presented to north
Manchester MP Graham Stringer at Manchester Town Hall to be
forwarded to Immigration Minister Des Brown.
Said Farhat: "The UK government complains asylum seekers are a
burden and are only after state handouts. But I was working, paying
taxes, doing voluntary work at the centre and trying to make a
difference to the community and the Home Office is forcing me to go
back onto benefits.
"I will carry on doing voluntary work until my work permit is
reinstated."
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