NSW: Protest over Pakistani refugee s case

AAP General News (Australia)
04-09-2001
NSW: Protest over Pakistani refugee s case

SYDNEY, April 9 AAP - Members of Australia's Pakistani community demonstrated in Sydney
today over the federal government's refusal to grant entry to the family of a refugee.

About 60 protesters gathered outside Sydney Town Hall waving placards accusing the
government of having a "Hitler"-like stance on the case.

The protest follows an incident outside Parliament House in Canberra last Monday where
a Pakistani man torched himself in frustration at the immigration system.

Shahraz Kayani doused himself with petrol before setting himself alight after years
of trying to bring his wife and three daughters to Australia.

Mr Kayani remains in a critical condition at Sydney's Concord Hospital, where he is
being treated for burns to 50 per cent of his body.

The initial immigration requests for Mr Kayani's wife and daughters were refused because
one of the children had cerebral palsy and would be a $750,000-burden on the taxpayer.

But the family was invited to reapply with Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock indicating
on Friday that the application had been close to arriving on his desk for consideration
before the incident.

A delegation from today's protesters will march to Mr Ruddock's Sydney office to hand
over a letter demanding Mr Kayani's family application be approved.

Pakistan Association of Australia general secretary Saeed Khan said the association
would continue to fight on behalf of Mr Kayani, taking his case to Amnesty International
and the Human Rights Commission.

"A disability shouldn't play in the (immigration) formula," he said.

"If someone is allowed here then their children should be allowed whether they are
disadvantaged or not."

Mr Khan, who has visited Mr Kayani in hospital on several occasions, said he was in
a critical condition.

"He can't open his eyes, he can't speak, he can only shake his head or wave his hands.

It is a terrible tragedy," he said.

Pakistan Association president Bashir Malik said it would have cost $30 a day for the
care of Mr Kayani's disabled daughter, which his family had indicated they were prepared
to pay.

AAP ls/cc/rp/mg/br

KEYWORD: BURN NSW

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