Christian man 'beaten and threatened by Islamic extremists' in Pakistan to be deported imminently

'He will be a target – the Home Office haven't listened to anything'

A Christian man who was allegedly beaten and repeatedly threatened with execution by Islamic extremists in Pakistan is to be deported imminently.

Asher Samson, 41, is currently being driven to a charter flight set to take off at 10pm tonight after 15 years living in the UK.

He told The Independent on Wednesday afternoon that he was “terrified” at the prospect of being sent back to his home city of Abbottabad in Pakistan, where says he has “no one and nowhere to go”.

His brother, Aamir Samson, pleaded for help to prevent the removal, saying: "The Home Office has put my brother through so much mental torture – they aren't listening to anything.

"On his return to Pakistan he will be in danger. He will be a target. I don't think it is wise to send him back to a situation where he will suffer persecution."

Due to religious persecution in their home country, Mr Samson's entire family has left and he and his two siblings settled in the UK. But while his siblings both have spousal and unmarried partner visas, he has been unable to secure his status.

Mr Samson’s asylum claim was rejected earlier this year and he was detained in Morton Hall Detention Centre in Lincoln last month, where he was told he was to be deported.

After he was detained in December, he said: “If they do send me back my life will be really in danger. I’m so scared. People know who I am, they know I am a Christian and they have seen me on social media.

“They told me they had booked me a flight and I refused to go. They said next time they will take me by force. They are trying to send me to a place where I will be at risk.”

Mr Samson and his family are regular churchgoers in Hall Green, Birmingham, and have spent more than 10 years as active members of the Christian community.

Revered Lorraine Shorten, who has known the family for 15 months and is pastor at their church of 10 years, said he was a “well-thought-of” member of the community.

The church leader added: “This is shameful – we are a Christian country yet we can’t help them. It’s terrifying to send him back there with the situation for Christians in Pakistan.”

“They are a part of this community. They want to live and work and remain here. They are not a risk to anybody. The Home Office just sees them as a number.

“At home they were threatened and they lived in fear. This is so extremely short-sighted by the Home Office.”

Friends of Mr Samson, who say they fear he is in “mortal danger”, have started a petition for him.

The grant rate for asylum applications dropped from 33 per cent per cent to 30 per cent in the two years to 2017, while the overall number of applications fell by 8 per cent.