The Afghan pilot who was facing deportation to Rwanda despite serving alongside British forces has been granted asylum in the UK.
The plight of the air force lieutenant, who fled the Taliban, sparked outrage from top politicians and public figures who said it was “shameful” that Britain should turn its back on the war hero.
The pilot came to the UK on a small boat because it was “impossible” to get to the UK via a legal route and was previously rejected from the UK’s Afghan resettlement scheme.
But in a shock move, the Home Office has now accepted that he has a “well-founded fear of persecution and therefore cannot return to your country of origin”.
The pilot, who was forced to leave his young family in hiding in Afghanistan, said he was “completely happy” that the Home Office had finally answered his plea to stay in the UK.
Here is what the politicians and military icons say about the war hero’s victory:
Admiral Lord West
Admiral Lord West, the chief of UK naval staff from 2002 to 2006, said: “I’m delighted we got there – it’s the right decision. It’s just unfortunate that it took so long to look at his case properly. The Home Office has now shown it’s possible – so if there are other Afghans in the same position who have a legitimate case, we must sort them out too. We need to get on with looking after the people who worked with us in Afghanistan. We have a debt of honour.”
Lord West of Spithead, former head of the Royal Navy— (PA Archive)
Sir Laurie Bristow
Sir Laurie Bristow, the the British ambassador to Afghanistan during the fall of Kabul in 2021, said: “I’m glad for him – it’s very good news. The underlying principle is that we should be fulfilling our obligation to the people who worked for and with us, and whose lives are at risk as a result.”
Sir Iain Duncan Smith
Sir Iain Duncan Smith, former Tory leader, said: “If he has been able to show he fought with us against the Taliban and is in danger, then he is welcome. There are people who came to us for help after the [evacuation] debacle, and we owe them.”
Urging the government to give sanctuary to those already accepted under the Arap scheme, but who remain in limbo in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Sir Iain added: “I hope we help as many people as possible who have reason to be here. It seems very difficult to get the process going any faster, but for the people over there it’s a nightmare.”
Sir Iain Duncan Smith said the Afghan pilot is ‘welcome’ in the UK— (PA Archive)
Sir Richard Dannatt
Sir Richard Dannatt, the former head of the British Army, said: “I’m delighted. It’s the right outcome and I’m very pleased. But there is some frustration too. Why did it take so long to do the right thing, when you’ve taken so much flak for doing the wrong thing? The case was right months ago – so why on earth didn’t they do it then?”
Lord Dannatt added: “If there are other cases like this of Afghans in the UK, the difficulty is that they can fall between the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence. Officials may be doing their best, but if it’s clear there are exceptional cases of Afghans who may have worked with us, then there has to be a way of speeding up the decision.”
Sir Richard Dannatt said he is ‘delighted’ by the victorious outcome— (PA)
Alistair Carmichael
The Liberal Democrats’ home affairs spokesperson Alistair Carmichael said The Independent’s campaign had “highlighted the flaws” in government policy.
“I’m glad that things have been made right in this case, but it’s hard to keep something similar from happening again without real change. That means fixing the loopholes in the Afghan resettlement schemes, scrapping the Illegal Migration Act and finally abandoning the Rwanda vanity scheme.”
John Healey
Labour’s shadow defence secretary John Healey said the party “strongly welcomes” the decision.
“Labour has long argued against the disgraceful deportation of this Afghan veteran – but this case is just another episode in the shameful saga of how the Conservatives have failed the brave Afghans who supported British troops before the fall of Afghanistan, and they have failed them since.
“Britain’s moral duty to assist these Afghans is felt most fiercely by the UK forces they served alongside. Ministers must act now to fix the multiple failings in their Afghan schemes.”
Labour’s shadow defence secretary said the party ‘strongly welcomes’ the decision— (PA Archive)
Steve Smith
Steve Smith MBE, CEO of refugee charity Care4Calais and former army colonel, said everyone at the charity was “delighted with the news”. He added: “The pilot is an incredible person. We are proud of how he has conducted himself throughout this ordeal and honoured to have supported him.
“We are very grateful for The Independent’s campaign on behalf of Afghan veterans. This is a great outcome for the pilot, but it’s not the end. His young family remain in danger in Afghanistan and steps should be taken to reunite them in the UK as soon as possible.”
General Sir John McColl
General Sir John McColl, the army’s former deputy supreme allied commander for Europe, said: “It’s good news – it’s disgraceful that it’s taken a campaign by The Independent to achieve what should have been a just outcome months ago.”
“The unfortunate thing is that there are many still marooned in Afghanistan and Pakistan, accepted as deserving support after fighting alongside us, waiting to get permission to come here. We’re still waiting for a coherent, focused plan. They are being treated as out of sight and out of mind.”
“When it comes to Afghans and asylum claims, the Home Office must examine their cases regardless of how they got here – it’s the least we can do.”
General Sir John McColl says the ‘just outcome’ should have been given months ago— (PA)
Ben McBean
Ben McBean, a former marine commando hailed a hero by Prince Harry, said: “I’m glad the pilot is getting what he was promised.”
Mr McBean, who became a double amputee after being critically injured on a 2008 tour in Afghanistan, added: “It’s what he and his family deserve; now onto the rest who served alongside us. This is a good start.”
‘This is a good start,’ said Afghan vet Ben McBean— (Getty Images)
Lord Hutton
The former Labour defence secretary, John Hutton said: “I think this is a great result. Justice has been done. It is however extraordinary that it takes a campaign like this to see Afghan veterans treated in the appropriate way. Well done to The Independent.”
Kevan Jones
Kevan Jones MP, the former Labour defence minister, said: “Threatening someone who had helped us with deportation clashed with a sense of fair play. But there have been other cases of Afghans threatened with deportation, because the system is an absolute mess. The rhetoric from ministers does not match up to reality.”
Clive Lewis
Clive Lewis, who served a three-month tour of Afghanistan in 2009, said: “It is great news that this pilot has been granted asylum, but he represents a powerful example of a much wider problem.
“It is exceptional that someone who fought alongside the British in Afghanistan, who was forced because there are no safe routes to come here via small boats, to then be threatened with deportation to Rwanda.
“And if it can happen to someone like this, who it is patently obvious does not deserve it, then we need to look at all the people who have equally valid asylum claims but might not have the air of being a fighter pilot.”
