Afghanistan’s girl's football team to be allowed to resettle in the UK after fleeing the Taliban to Pakistan where they currently hold temporary visas.
The UK’s Home Secretary Priti Patel has authorized the issuing of visas to the girls’ squad, their coaches, and families, British newspaper The Sun reported.
A source close to Ms. Patel reportedly told the paper: “At the heart of Priti’s new Afghan resettlement scheme is the protection of women and girls.”
The source added that the team will be able to make the UK their home, free from fear and persecution.
Kashif Siddiqi, the co-founder of charity Football for Peace, which led the campaign to bring the squad to the UK, thanked Ms. Patel and Prime Minister Boris Johnson for giving these players a future”.
He said in a statement: “We’re still waiting to hear through official channels but if confirmed it means that 111 Afghan girls, family, and coaches have just had their lives changed forever by Britain.
The 35 girls, who are aged 13-19, plus 94 coaches and family members of the Afghan junior women’s football team have been staying in Pakistan on temporary visas since fleeing Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover of the country but faced being sent back once their asylum period ran out.
The UK’s Home Secretary Priti Patel has authorized the issuing of visas to the girls’ squad, their coaches, and families, British newspaper The Sun reported.
A source close to Ms. Patel reportedly told the paper: “At the heart of Priti’s new Afghan resettlement scheme is the protection of women and girls.”
The source added that the team will be able to make the UK their home, free from fear and persecution.
Kashif Siddiqi, the co-founder of charity Football for Peace, which led the campaign to bring the squad to the UK, thanked Ms. Patel and Prime Minister Boris Johnson for giving these players a future”.
He said in a statement: “We’re still waiting to hear through official channels but if confirmed it means that 111 Afghan girls, family, and coaches have just had their lives changed forever by Britain.
The 35 girls, who are aged 13-19, plus 94 coaches and family members of the Afghan junior women’s football team have been staying in Pakistan on temporary visas since fleeing Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover of the country but faced being sent back once their asylum period ran out.
