Student visa row leaves Brown in cold
April 28 2009 by Gareth McConnell
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was left red-faced after a visit to Pakistan resulted in the country’s President pulling out of a joint press conference on terrorism.
The move is seen by many as a snub in response to the Labour governments handling of UK student visa applications to Pakistani nationals.
Relations between both countries have gone downhill since the arrest of 12 men, who were subsequently released without charge, at the beginning of April. The Home Office was forced to defend their checking process after it emerged ten of the men arrested were Pakistani’s studying in the UK on student visas.
Taking the President’s place, Prime Minister Razi Gilani, gave the British Prime Minister a grilling, asking why six out of ten Pakistani kids applying for UK student visas are now refused – the number has doubled since the arrests.
Downing Street was quick to issue a statement denying the snub.
“Gordon Brown met both the Prime Minister and the President of Pakistan. It was entirely appropriate for him to hold a press conference with his opposite number.”
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