Asylum seeker 'abandoned' in Glasgow after travelling 60 miles for appointment with lawyer

An asylum seeker from Afghanistan was left “very upset” when he was ‘abandoned’ in Glasgow after travelling more than 60 miles to the city for a lawyer’s appointment.

Sardar Aka Amarkhail was ordered a taxi by staff at the Radisson Blu hotel in Perth where he has been residing, however, after calling to arrange collection following his appointment, no one arrived.

The 23-year-old does not speak English and had no money with him as well as no credit left on his phone.

Speaking via a translator, he told STV News: “It was very cold and I was very upset.

“I waited five hours, nobody turned up. I myself am thinking ‘why did this happen to me?’.

“I did trust them and I was assured that they were going to take me back.”

Mr Amarkhail’s lawyer helped him get in touch with a human rights activist after his contact for the transport failed to answer their phone.

Mohammed Asif, from the Afghan Human Rights Foundation, spent several hours trying to find someone who could take him in for the night.

He eventually managed to find accommodation for him but has been left frustrated at what happened to Mr Amarkhail, which he believes is not an isolated case.

“I’m used to this kind of situation,” Mr Asif told STV News.

“I have seen other people who were abandoned by their accommodation provider, abandoned in a strange city and then they don’t bother and wash their hands.

“I feel really bad because this guy, he doesn’t have a winter jacket, he doesn’t have credit on his phone, he had no money in his pocket and he doesn’t know where to go.

“You are in a new city, you have no money, you know nobody and suddenly the person you trust abandons you,” he said.

A Mears spokesperson said: “Mears provides transport for service users to attend appointments relating to their asylum claim. There are standard processes in place and arrangements are clearly communicated to service users.

“If a service user experiences any difficulties and needs to contact us we provide a 24/7 helpline. Alternatively, Migrant Help operate a 24/7 helpline on behalf of the Home Office.”