Vicky Khokhar, the popular Longford ER nurse and local volunteer, is about to be needlessly deported from Ireland and needs our help.
In a country starved of qualified nurses, Vicky has an offer in writing for a job with a local Nursing Home. He is awaiting English exam results and recognition of his qualifications to obtain a working visa.
Vicky has spent 3 years in the notorious Irish direct provision system. During that time he has volunteered for everything going on in Longford - from the local samba band, the local church, St. Mels Cathedral, St. Mel’s Musical Society, the Attic Youth Cafe and dance projects. He even voluntarily works 5 days a week at the local nursing home, where he is valued as much for his can-do personality as for his qualifications as an ER nurse.
His work was beautifully documented in this Irish Times article
https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/i-love-spending-the-day-in-the-nursing-home-it-s-bringing-me-back-to-life-1.3455516
In the meantime, his original asylum application has failed (despite Irish government travel advisories on travel to Pakistan, which describe the security situation as ‘unstable and dangerous’)
https://www.dfa.ie/travel/travel-advice/a-z-list-of-countries/pakistan/
He is being forced to leave our country. If deported, he will be banned from returning Ireland for 10 years and may face imprisonment back in Pakistan.
It’s not too late. We have until August 27th to try and help Vicky stay, or at least enable him to return voluntarily and avoid deportation - leaving him with a chance of coming back.
Can you support this petition to Charlie Flanagan, the Minster for Justice asking for common sense to prevail and for Vicky to be granted permission to stay in Ireland, at least until his work permit is ready? It makes no sense to send him back and he risks getting lost in the system and never making it back to Ireland where he is valued and needed.
Vicky is exactly the kind of person we want in our communities. Lets make this work for him.
