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Cllrs Liaqat Ali (far right) at his son's wedding
Murder target enjoys wedding
24/ 9/2004
DESPITE an alleged plot to kill him a Manchester councillor
attended a wedding and a series of high profile meetings in
Pakistan.
Liberal Democrat politician Liaqat Ali won his right to stay in the
UK by claiming that his work to free bonded labourers in his native
Pakistan resulted in a contract being taken out on his life.
He said his offices were firebombed and that he was
threatened.
But the 47-year-old councillor for the Longsight ward recently
completed an 18 day visit 'back home' to be at his son's wedding
and accompany fellow Liberal Democrat councillor John Commons on a
series of public engagements.
The three-day wedding of his 26-year-old son Mohammed Ali, in
Okara, was arranged seven years ago following a traditional promise
Councillor Ali made to the bride's father.
The father of nine, of Hamilton Road, Longsight, paid for the trip
out of his own pocket and travelled with his son.
He spent the remainder of the 18-day trip that started on 13
August, accompanying fellow Lib Dem councillor John Commons on a
number of high-profile meetings.
They said the meetings with local politicians and political groups
received "some" media coverage.
Despite a warning from his family Councillor Ali, said he faced a
"difficult dilemma" and any father would have done the same.
Speaking through interpreter and family friend Tariq Manzoor the
councillor said his recent trip to Pakistan was a risk he had to
take.
But former Longsight Labour councillor Sajjad Hussain, who lost his
seat to Councillor Ali in the 2003 local elections, is calling on
the Home Office to review the case.
Lib Dem leader in Manchester, Councillor Simon Ashley, said the
party backs Councillor Ali 100 per cent.
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