Niemüllers poem

  First they came for the jews, and I did not speak out because I was not jewish

Then they came for the communists, and I did not speak out because I was not a communist

Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist

Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak out for me

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Timeline

Below a “short-view” or a timeline giving an overview picture of this case

Short review and time-line!

February 2009
Khalid participates in a meeting in the Pakistan Humanist Movement in his hometown Rawalpindi. These more or less regular meetings are visited by around 25-35 people and kept in different places because of the sensitive issues. An intense discussion occurs during the evening. It ends up with that Khalid, tell them about his “blog” “SayNoToIslam” which is really harsh on the prophet Muhammed. Thereafter three men, not even having seen the blog and not before known by Khalid, start to shove him around and then attack him physically.
(Khalid had started his blog in September 2008)

Despite Khalid being upset after this unpleasant meeting, with people that he after the meeting realized must have been infiltrators, he is not yet particular worried. As the episode escalates in personal threats stated by three men coming searching for Khalid in his home a few days later, the scary consequences are revealed for the family. For Khalid and his wife Asia there was no doubt about, that these three men were serious religious fundamentalists who even brought with them a couple of helpers waiting outside.

March 2009
Khalid and his family after this frightening experience took their kids with them, found a taxi and drove to a hiding place in Abottabad where Khalid’s  mother’s cousin had a house they could borrow. They started to sell their possessions while they overlaid how to get out of this situation.  Unfortunately Khalids mother shortly after they left for Abottabad confirmed, that there was a persecution going on. She had had a visit from the same men, where they had been looking aggressively for Khalid in her home. She advised them to flee the country.

April 2009
Fortunately Khalid had a brother in Sweden. The only family outside Pakistan. Through his elder brother, who have been active in the world movement of humanist in many years the Saeed family arranged a tourist visa to Sweden. Khalid and Asia spends several weeks on selling out of their property to finance the ticket and gather some capital for necessities where they go.
(Khalids brother is not in a position where he can afford to pay for their sustenance)

June 2009
The Saeed family decided to fly from Karachi, the opposite end of Pakistan believing that this was more secure – if at all – than to try to border a plain in Islamabad where they were sure they were searched. In the beginning of June they arrived to Sweden and after some weeks trying to calm down after the hectic period on the run in Pakistan they applied for asylum in Sweden July 1. According to the Swedish laws Khalid and his family gets help from the authorities while they wait for a decision.
(The Swedish authorities – Migrationsverket – appointed a lawyer, they did not accept the lawyer that Khalid had pointed at, and unfortunately Khalid never got an explanation on that decision).

July 2010
The Swedish authorities – Migrationsverket – announce their decision July 9 2010. It is negative. “It is not proven likely that Khalid are pursued or in danger in his home country”.
(An experienced jury member, Per Edman, has some harsh comments on this issue. You can read it here!)

The family once more tries to get another lawyer to work with their appeal, but even that fails. The appeal is made and filed and then it is only once more to wait. During this time Khalid speed up his work with his web-site. He is shattered over the fact, that nobody in the Migrationsverk – and only a few outside – wants to listen to his explanations about the escalating situation in Pakistan!

June 2011
The 22 of June the Saeed family gets their cased turned down in the high court. Now something very extraordinaire has to be presented to change the sentence that leads to deportation. A last appeal does not lead anywhere and August 25 the high court decides that there will be no other appeals approved!

September 2011
The family goes underground from September 22! Khalid refuses to go back to the country where he is not able to express his opinion, and where he knows that people will harm him and his family for what he stands for.

I am just thinking! If it was me? What would I do?