Review halts family's deportation

The family was taken to Dungavel before being detained in Bedfordshire

A Pakistani family who were due to be deported from Scotland have won a judicial review of their case.

Asad and Gullrukh Gul and their three young children, who are Christians, said they fled from Lahore because of persecution from Islamist extremists.

They were taken from their home in Glasgow to the Yarl's Wood detention facility in Bedfordshire last week.

But the Court of Session ruling means they will be given more time to fight deportation.

The family, who claimed asylum 11 months ago, said their lives would be at risk if they were returned to Pakistan.

Supporters in their local community, in the Carnwadric area of Glasgow, said that an important supporting statement from Mrs Gul's London-based sister had not been submitted with the family's original application to stay in Britain.

Graeme Bell, the minister of Carnwadric Church, said Mr Gul had been targeted in Pakistan for printing Christian literature and had been accused of blasphemy - a charge which carries the death penalty.

The Church of Scotland had also backed the minister's call for the case to be re-examined.