Reporter
Somer Umeed Bakhsh is to study Physics and Astrophysics after nearly facing deportation.
Somer Umeed Bakhsh, 16, has received an unconditional offer, extending his previous permission to remain and furthering his education.
Umeed Bakhsh and his brother, 14-year-old Areeb, were the subjects of a campaign by the Church of Scotland, which had a petition to overturn the Home Office decision refusing their asylum claim. The petition garnered 100,000 signatures last year. They were then offered “limited leave to remain” until 2022.
The family fled from Faisalabad to Glasgow in 2012 after their father was subjected to death threats due to his Christian faith. Umeed Bakhsh was then enrolled in Springburn Academy. They struggled for seven years to gain any legal status, which resulted in their father being unable to work. Somer received four As and a B on his highers, putting him near the top of his class.
Somer said: “Scotland is my home; I have grown up here, all my friends are here and I feel like a Scottish boy.”
He was congratulated by his local MSP, Bob Doris, and local politician Paul Sweeney.