§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Mr. Abdul Rauf (Ref: GV100/13294) is going to be issued with a visa to visit the United Kingdom; when Mr. Rauf applied for a visit visa; when his appeal against refusal to grant the visa was upheld; when the high commission in Islamabad was advised to issue the visa; and if he will make a statement.
327W
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThe high commission in Islamabad issued a visit visa to Mr. Abdul Rauf on 12 January 1992.
Mr. Rauf had applied for a visa on 20 August 1989. Following an interview at the high commission on 3 September 1989 his application was refused. He appealed against the refusal decision on 7 November 1989 and the entry clearance officer's explanatory statement was sent to the appellate authorities on 5 December 1989. The high commission heard nothing more until it received a copy of the letter which the hon. Member wrote to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office on 5 November 1991 (which was subsequently transferred to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for action). The high commission then made inquiries of the Home Office who advised, on the 19 December 1991, that the appeal had been allowed on 1 August 1990. On 30 December 1991 the high commission invited Mr. Rauf to call with a view to issuing entry clearance.