A Scots veteran who has been unable to work for four years due to gunshot wounds he sustained in Afghanistan has been denied financial support from the government.
At just 18-years-old, Jamal Barak was shot twice in the line of duty - once in the right arm and once in his chest. Now, over a decade later, Jamal still suffers from constant pain and PTSD, making everyday life a struggle.
Speaking to Glasgow Live, the now 30-year-old said: "I’m not a normal person now. I used to go to the gym and work hard but since that day it’s affected my life.
"The reality is that I can’t walk for too long because of where the bullet came to my chest and exited where the spine is. I can’t lift anything heavy.
"I can't sleep at night. Sometimes I get the feeling that I don’t want to live in this world anymore."
Jamal, who is originally from Afghanistan, first signed up to the armed forces at 17 years old as a patrol interpreter, before joining the Scots Guard a year later. On February 4 2010, he was fighting on the frontline in Helmand province when two bullets ripped through his body - one in his chest and another in his right arm.
He lay on the ground for three hours before help finally arrived and he rushed to hospital for treatment. Recalling the terrifying day he thought his life was over, Jamal said: "We came under attack and it was a very sad day.
"I remember being on the ground for three hours as they couldn’t pick me up and take me to hospital. I was really shocked and thought I wouldn't get to the hospital because we were still under attack.
"I thought my life was gone and I was going to die."
Following his release from hospital, Jamal worked inside the military camp before the Ministry of Defence (MOD) offered him a relocation package and he came to the UK in 2015. He was able to find a job, but the pain from his injuries became too much and he had to give it up.
In a report published in June 2020, the UK government pledged to formally support local employed staff in Afghanistan who were injured as a result of their employment with the MOD. Jamal provided hundreds of pages of medical evidence from 2015 highlighting the impact those injuries have had in his life - but his claim has since been denied.
In emails shown to Glasgow Live, officials said Jamal's application was rejected on the basis of the lack of evidence suggesting 'a significant permanent physical or mental impairment of your condition to award a payment'.
Jamal, who now lives in Glasgow, said: "When I came to the UK I worked for a few months but couldn’t do it and had to give up the job. I provided all the pages the consultants have written to say I’ve been suffering from pain and have not worked.
"Did they want me to lose my legs and hands? It’s mental.
"I gave so much of my life to the army and this is what I get, it’s very disappointing. I will try my best and fight against this as much as I can."
The MOD said they do not comment on individual cases.
A spokesperson said: “Following the presenting of sufficient evidence, the UK government is committed to awarding appropriate ex-gratia medical payments to those brave people who worked alongside our soldiers on patrol.
“All claims are assessed by a team of highly qualified medical and legal experts against published criteria. Should conditions worsen after the point of decision, or should further evidence in support of claims become available, applicants can let us know and we will reassess the case.”
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