An Afghan refugee living in Rotherhithe is set to be reunited with his wife after a year apart, because he has been given asylum seeker status.
That means Abid Raza Khan, 22, can apply for his wife to move to the UK from Dubai, where she currently lives.
Mr Raza Khan said he was very grateful to Sir Simon Hughes, the former local MP who has helped him since he came to the UK, and to London South Bank University, where he studies and Sir Simon is chancellor.
He added that he wanted to thank the Home Office for its decision.
Afghan student’s harrowing and daring escape from Kabul to Rotherhithe
As we reported earlier this month, Mr Raza Khan has been studying at LSBU since 2020, but moved back to Afghan capital Kabul in May last year to marry his wife. Three months later the Taliban took over, and Mr Raza Khan managed to get his wife to Dubai.
His own efforts to fly back directly to the UK were thwarted and he ended up enduring torture from the Taliban, alongside his grandfather. He managed to escape to Uzbekistan and came back to London via Moscow. Mr Raza Khan lost contact with his parents and still does not know where they are.
Sir Simon welcomed the “truly great news” that the asylum application of Mr Raza Khan – “the most decent of men” – had been accepted.
He added: “I was immediately alerted to Abid’s situation by a university colleague and thanks to What’s App was able to make contact with Abid and on behalf of our university support Abid in Kabul, as he made his way overland to leave the country, in Uzbekistan and back in London ever since.
“With the great help of London law firm Bindmans and several key officials at the Home Office Abid’s asylum application was considered urgently on compassionate grounds and granted last week. We are all very grateful to them. Many people in the university, especially the students union, and members of local mosques and churches and at Bacon’s College where Abid has spoken have been regularly praying for and supporting Abid. The decision means that Abid’s young wife will also be able to join him here in London later this year.
“After the most traumatic of years, the UK has been able to offer Abid a safe future here. He is the most decent of men and a student who our university is very proud of. Abid is committed to make a great contribution to the UK in the future. We will continue to support him of course, and especially as he continues to try to track down his parents and brothers with whom he lost all contact since the Taliban take-over in Afghanistan last year. “