Press Release

 

 

Escape of the convicted criminal

 

London: A section of the British Media carried news today that ‘a dangerous convicted rapist’ escaped from the custody of the immigration officials while visiting Pakistan High Commission for issuance of the travel document for his deportation.

 

The High Commission would like to throw light on some of the facts surrounding the incident to put the record straight.

 

Mr. Imtiaz Hussain, an alleged Pakistani, was brought to the High Commission without prior appointment, escaped from the custody of the UKBA’s appointed Representatives. It is pertinent to mention that any deportation case has to be brought to the High Commission with prior appointment. In this case no prior arrangements were made with the Pakistan High Commission.

 

The High Commission only came to know about the incident after his escape from the custody of British Officials. He was never presented before the High Commission’s official deputed for the purposes of face to face interviews.

 

It is underlined that the MOU under which the cooperation is extended to the British Government pertains to the illegal immigrants only and NOT to the convicted criminals serving sentences or have served the sentence. As mentioned in the news reports that he was a dangerous person this fact was known to the agency which was handling his custody. The questions that arise are: why then did they bring him for the interview without prior information in the first place? And why the criminal was inadequately guarded? There are many questions that can be raised surrounding the entire episode.

 

Pakistan High Commission has taken a serious note of the matter and conveyed its exceptions to the relevant British Authorities and also called upon them to convey to the British Media the factual position.

 

 

1 November 2009