The UK government faces a legal challenge after it closed its relocation scheme for vulnerable Afghans in July.
The Afghanistan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap), which was launched after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, offers asylum to Afghans who worked with British forces after the invasion in 2001, and who are now at risk of reprisals from the ruling Taliban.
But on July 1, the Home Office announced the scheme’s sudden closure, just as it emerged that the names of more than 18,000 applicants had been exposed in a major data breach in 2022.
Its abrupt closure has left these individuals with no safe and legal routes to the UK
Jamie Bell
The London-based Afghanistan and Central Asia Association (ACAA) said it had begun preliminary legal proceedings against the government on Tuesday. It had previously written to the Home Office asking for the closure to be overturned and received a response from the government.
It will seek to challenge and overturn the decision to close Arap through judicial review proceedings in the High Court, and will be represented by the prominent barrister George Molyneaux.
The decision has left the large community of Afghans who worked with UK forces feeling “abandoned, ignored and extremely vulnerable”, according to Darius Nasimi, head of funding and partnerships at ACAA.
“The UK Government made a commitment to protect the Afghans it worked alongside in Afghanistan – it had a moral imperative to do so – and yet the resettlement schemes which it set up in the wake of its withdrawal have been woefully inadequate,” he said.
The charity, headquartered in West London, has been receiving more than a hundred emails a week from stranded Afghans since the decision to close the scheme was announced.
“Now that it's closed, people don't have any hope. Some people will go to Iran and Pakistan, and some will try to get to Europe from there,” he told The National.
The government kept the data breach a secret to prevent it from coming to the Taliban’s attention, and then launched the Afghan Response Route last year to relocate those deemed at highest risk from the leak. Just under 3,000 applicants and their families were relocated through the route.
About 34,000 Afghans had been relocated to the UK under the Arap scheme, according to the UK government. Among these, 3,000 principal applicants and their families were relocated under the secret Afghan Response Route which was launched last year to relocate those deemed at highest risk from the data breach.
But the Ministry of Defence assessed that about 80,000 Afghans who were at increased risk from the data breach – but not at the highest risk – were excluded from relocation, court documents show.
Mr Nasimi also raised concerns about the government’s decision to close the scheme just before the data breach was made public, which cut out tens of thousands of Afghans whose lives were further imperilled by the leak.
“To close Arap just before a mammoth data breach was brought to the public’s attention was an appalling decision – and we are determined to hold the Government to account.
“Arap has been beset with procedural and security failings, as successive court cases have shown. The Government argues that Arap has served its purpose, but there is clearly far more work to be done.”
Solicitor Jamie Bell described the Arap scheme as a “lifeline”.
Despite its deep flaws, the Arap scheme was a lifeline for thousands of vulnerable Afghans who risked their lives by working alongside the UK Government in Afghanistan,” he said.
“Its abrupt closure has left these individuals with no safe and legal routes to the UK. We urge the UK Government to reconsider this decision and permit those in need to apply for the scheme.
“We also encourage people who have been affected by the closure of Arap and the data breach to reach out to us.”
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The years Ramadan fell in May
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
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Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
Du Plessis plans his retirement
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis said on Friday the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia in two years' time will be his last.
Du Plessis, 34, who has led his country in two World T20 campaigns, in 2014 and 2016, is keen to play a third but will then step aside.
"The T20 World Cup in 2020 is something I'm really looking forward to. I think right now that will probably be the last tournament for me," he said in Brisbane ahead of a one-off T20 against Australia on Saturday.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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The specs: 2019 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera
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Engine: 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12
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On sale: this week
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
The specs
Engine: 2.9-litre, V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: seven-speed PDK dual clutch automatic
Power: 375bhp
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In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
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Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
'Laal Kaptaan'
Director: Navdeep Singh
Stars: Saif Ali Khan, Manav Vij, Deepak Dobriyal, Zoya Hussain
Rating: 2/5
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
The five pillars of Islam
Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance: the specs
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 plus rear-mounted electric motor
Power: 843hp at N/A rpm
Torque: 1470Nm N/A rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.6L/100km
On sale: October to December
Price: From Dh875,000 (estimate)
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