Pakistani asylum seeker wins £100,000 payout from UK home office for unlawful detention
A Pakistani asylum seeker has been awarded nearly £100,000 (Rs 1,08,77,180) in compensation by the UK Home Office after alleging she was "treated like a criminal" for overstaying in Britain. Nadra Almas, who arrived in the UK on a student visa in 2004, claimed she could not return to Pakistan due to fears of persecution for her Christian faith.
In 2018, Home Office officials detained and handcuffed Almas, informing her she would be deported. However, she was released two weeks later. Despite her freedom, she was barred from working or receiving government benefits for over three years before finally securing refugee status in 2021.
Almas took legal action against the Home Office for unlawful detention and won her case. The court heard that she had informed officials of the risks she would face as a Christian in Pakistan and her desire to remain with her adult son, who had been granted refugee status weeks earlier.
During the nearly three-year wait for her asylum decision, Almas was subjected to restrictions that, she argued, severely impacted her life and violated her rights under the Human Rights Act. The court acknowledged her suffering, stating that she had been unable to travel, work, or freely engage in her personal and family life due to the uncertainty of her status.
The court also heard details of her detention, where she was allegedly handcuffed and confined in a room with two unknown men before being told she would be deported. Following the ruling that her treatment breached her human rights, she was awarded £98,757.04 in damages.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Wild fox falls into tank in Thane, rescued after one-hour operation
Thane (PTI): A wild fox was rescued on Sunday after it fell into an open water tank in Thane's Shil area, an official said.
The rescue operation, which started at noon, was a coordinated effort between the Fire Brigade, wildlife personnel that took one hour, Thane Municipal Corporation disaster management cell chief Yasin Tadvi said.
"The fox fell into a tank located near Muktai residency on Kalyan-Shilphata road. The rescue proved challenging due to the confined space of the tank. However, through the combined efforts of the fire brigade and forest officials, the fox was safely pulled out after nearly an hour of careful manoeuvring," Tadvi said.
ALSO READ: 9 killed, 10 wounded in South African pub shooting
Following the rescue, the animal was checked for injuries and taken by the forest department for further observation before its eventual release, he said.
