Priest and headteacher's anger at treatment of Karim family

3:30pm Wednesday 27th June 2007

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SUPPORTERS of a family of asylum seekers have reacted with anger after they were arrested and taken to a detention centre for deportation.

Police and immigration officials detained the Karims in a dramatic dawn swoop at their Nelson home in Arthur Street yesterday morning.

Nigel, 53 and Pearl, 44, and children Calvin, 12 and Crystal, 14, were then taken to a holding centre near Heathrow airport.

The family's lawyer Richard Roberts - who yesterday launched a desperate bid to challenge the deportation - said a flight had been booked for Saturday to take the family back to Pakistan.

Their parish priest and the headteacher at Fisher More High School, where Calvin and Crystal are pupils, have told of their shock, distress and frustration at the family's treatment.

Fr Chris Gorton, from the family's church Holy Saviour, said: "They have changed everyone's perception of asylum seekers. This will really hurt the parish."

The couple were living at Pearl's mother and father's home where police swooped yesterday.

Mrs Shakuhtla Samuels, Pearl's mother who has a visa to remain in this country, said: "I was asleep when it happened. Two policemen came in and I was awoken by the voices. They asked me if I was Pearl. I said no but I am her mother.

"When I saw them in their uniforms I realised they must have come for them.

"It's been so hard. My husband is in hospital after he collapsed yesterday. They are going to discharge him today and I don't know how to tell him.

"It was so upsetting when I saw them being put in to the van and driven away.

"I am hoping that the lawyer will be able to do something. God is good and he will help them."

The arrests appear to mark the end of a long fight by the Karims and their supporters to try and stay in the UK.

The family came to this country in 2002 claiming asylum.

In May they were given 30 days to leave the country after a judicial review into their case for asylum was rejected by the High Court and a letter from Pendle MP Gordon Prentice pleading their case to immigration minister Liam Byrne was dismissed.

A fresh claim for asylum based on the Karim's high profile and arguing they could be targeted for persecution because of it has also been thrown out by the Home Office.

The family believe their lives would be in danger if they returned to Pakistan because of their Catholic faith.

Mrs Karim's cousin was murdered shortly before the family left five years ago, and it is thought that the killers were really after her husband because of his religious beliefs.

Mr Karim has also been told by friends there is a poster in his home country offering £6,000 as a reward for his death.

Residents of Nelson as well as teachers and friends from the children's schools Holy Saviour Primary and Fisher More High School and parishoners from their church, Holy Saviour, have campaigned for them to stay.

Brendan Conboy, headteacher at Fisher More High School, said: "Myself, the school and its wider community have taken this family to our hearts and we are greatly shocked and distressed at what has happened.

"This is completely unfair. We are holding special prayer opportunities and the Karims are in our thoughts and prayers. We are all hoping we will see them again soon."

Fr Gorton said: "This is very, very sad and has come as a great shock to everybody. It is heart-breaking.

"Everyone has tried so hard and they are such a wonderful family.

Coun Ann Kerrigan, who has been supporting the family's case, said: "The most upsetting thing is that children are involved in this and there's also the wider impact on the children at school who are distraught by what has happened. This is about human rights but they don't seem to have any."

A spokesman for the Home Office refused to comment on the Karim's case but said: "The government has made it clear it will take a robust approach to removing people who have no legal right to be here."

A Lancashire police spokesman said: "On Wednesday 27 June, immigration officials accompanied by Officers from Lancashire Constabulary detained four persons under the immigration act."

"Upon leaving the addresses, they were taken by Officials to an immigration centre."

"Immigration officials did not receive any resistance from the detainees, who were polite and complied with their requests.

"This was an immigration operation, which was carried out with police support. It is normal practice for the police to assist with this type of operation."