Terminally-ill Pakistani in UK thanks Pakistan Army for making travel arrangements for family

LONDON/BIRMINGHAM: Terminally-ill Pakistan heart patient Nasar Ullah Khan, admitted currently at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital, has thanked Pakistan Army for making all travel arrangements for his family.

Nasar Ullah Khan told in an exclusive conversation that in response to his request for help, Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa “directed for travel arrangements for my wife and two kids”.

He said: “All travel arrangements were made by the Army. The COAS’s office got in touch with my family in the morning when they were on their way to the British High Commission to collect visas for the United Kingdom. We are thankful to our COAS for the kindness and interest he has shown. My family received the visa at 9am, tickets at 9:39am and at 11:05am they were on the plane.”

Khan said that the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Chairman was also helpful in securing reservations at the last minute once Army staff approached PIA for immediate travel requirement.

Nasar Ullah Khan said that he was thankful to British High Commissioner Thomas Drew for personally approving visas of his family. “Thomas Drew was extremely helpful and responded to my appeal on passionate grounds. Meeting my family after nine years is like a dream come true for me. The Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DGISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor was helpful and offered support in my case. I really had no hope until the last weekend that I would be able to meet my family ever but miracles happen. As soon as Geo News and The News highlighted my story, the reaction was immediate and there was an outpouring of support.

Nasar Ullah Khan’s wife Sania Butt and sons Muhammad Abdullah and Muhammed Saifullah arrived Tuesday evening at Birmingham airport from Islamabad on a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight. They were re-united with Khan at the hospital immediately after landing in Birmingham. They have been issued travel visa for three months.

The British High Commissioner and the DGISPR offered help to Khan after this correspondent revealed that he had only a few days to live and wanted to meet his family.

Replying to a tweet by this correspondent, Thomas Drew assured of his help and, while seeking details of the case, said: “I will see how we can help”.

After Nasar Ullah Khan sent out a public message for help to the DG ISPR assured of full support. He said: “Our prayers are with Nasar Ullah Khan and his family. We will get any support or facilitation from Pakistan Army as Pakistani citizens.”

The doctors have told Nasar Ullah Khan that he has just a short time to live, due to end-stage heart failure and he’s suffering from acute organ failure. Two weeks ago, the Birmingham Queen Elizabeth Hospital sent him a bill of £32,000 for the treatment he has received at the hospital because he’s a foreigner who is not entitled to free treatment. He was refused a lifesaving transplant just before Christmas because of his immigration status. He has lived in the United Kingdom for nine years but he entered the country on a 6 month tourist visa and overstayed, doing menial jobs and not being able to regularise his status. Under the Home Office's immigration rules, only patients with “Indefinite Leave to Remain” are entitled to free medical treatment. His younger brother Faisal Hanif is a British national and he lives in Birmingham and currently taking care of him in the hospital.