UK home secretary’s uncles ‘in visa scandal’
Explosive claims that his relatives swindled Pakistan migrants
TWO uncles of new British home secretary Sajid Javid have been accused of running a ‘cash for visas’ scam targeting migrants who wanted to get into Britain.
His relatives are alleged to have conned people in Pakistan out of money after promising to obtain documents that did not materialise. One of the uncles is also understood to have offered to help Pakistanis enter Britain by arranging marriages for cash.
Last night, those who handed over money for visas said they had not received the documents – with one saying he was given fake papers instead. The allegations could be embarrassing for Mr Javid, who was this week appointed home secretary after Amber Rudd was forced to resign over the Windrush deportation scandal.
The alleged racket was run by Abdul Majeed, who lived in Pakistan until his death seven years ago, and brother Khalid Abdul Hamid, 69, who now lives in England. Mr Hamid last night said a ‘few’ student visas has been arranged – but denied claims of a scam as ‘lies’ designed to target Mr Javid. According to some residents in the village of Lasoori in north-eastern Pakistan, where Mr Javid’s family still own a home, the two men had been arranging visas for would-be migrants since the 1990s. And in 2006, Mr Majeed set up UK Study, based in nearby Rajana, which, as well as offering English lessons, offered to get visas for students wishing to travel to EU countries It is alleged that he said he could help people get to Britain by arranging marriages in the UK. Retired Lasoori farmer Muktar Masih, 70, said he sold his prized tractor to pay the £160 fee but was given papers he was later told were forgeries: ‘I was told I would be sent to England and was duped into paying around 25,000 rupees [£160]. Everybody I showed said the papers were fake. So I never went abroad.’
Retired schoolteacher Abdul Hameed Qasir, 78, said he paid £1,270 in 2006 but got no visa.
Khalid Mehmood, 59, from Lasoori, added: ‘Hamid used to tell youngsters that he would marry them off and get visas for England. But it never happened.’ The claims were backed up by Haji Tahir, vicechairman of Lasoori Union Council, who said he had received complaints against the brothers: ‘People said they felt cheated.’
Mr Hamid last night confirmed that his brother had run a business ‘helping with student visas’, adding he occasionally helped out – but stressed: ‘I never heard my brother cheating anyone.’ He said that the allegations were an attempt to smear Mr Javid: ‘It’s absolutely lies…[attacks] against my nephew.’
A spokeswoman for Mr Javid said last night he knew ‘absolutely nothing’ about the claims.