Two Pakistani Christians have been refused visas to visit the UK because they were deemed “not wealthy enough” by the UK government.
According to ChristianToday.com, the two Pakistani men were getting ready to make a trip to visit a church in Glasgow, Scotland. Two men from the Glasgow church had visited their congregation in Hyderabad, so the two Pakistanis were going to return the visit.
The Scottish church was going to pay for all their expenses.
However, the two men received notification from the UK government that "Immigration officials refused the applicants visas on the basis they could not prove they were wealthy enough to be allowed into the UK,” according to the Glasgow church.
"We remain committed to our twinning link with the diocese of Hyderabad, with whom we enjoyed tremendous hospitality when members of our presbytery visited Pakistan last year,” stated Rev. Graham Blount, upon hearing the news that the men were refused entry into the UK.
"We are deeply concerned at the refusal of the UK Government to grant visas to two of our invited partners, despite the Church of Scotland guaranteeing their travel arrangements as well as their accommodation and subsistence while they are here, the refusal seems grounded in their personal financial circumstances,” he continued.
Blount added that the church is writing to the UK government to voice their concerns.
Wilson Choudhry of the British Pakistani Christian Association also voiced his condemnation of the UK’s decision:
"This latest refusal is a poor indictment of the UK Home Office process which clearly is not free of bias. I will be praying for the family and will register concerns with the Home Office and Foreign Affairs Select Committee over the obvious maladministration and request a review of the decision. I hope something can be done to revoke the decision which flies in the face of common sense."
Photo courtesy: Thinkstockphotos.com
Publication date: November 11, 2016
