Mother's tragic loss of two children killed in suspected arson attack

Date published: 27/03/2009

A mother from Rochdale has slammed the foreign office for failing two of her children after they died in a suspected arson attack.

Asma Akhtar was locked in a legal battle to try and get her four children home from Pakistan when two of her children died in the fire.

Now, the 28-year old hopes the loss of her children's lives will force the Government to alter laws that are designed to protect children caught up in family disputes.

The two children have been described as being held hostage by their estranged father

Rochdale MP Paul Rowen is determined to fight Mrs Akhtar's cause. He said: “This is a tragic outcome of this ongoing long case and my sympathy goes out to Asma Akhtar and her family. She has been badly let down by the British and Pakistan Governments who failed to enforce an agreement that was meant to protect them. The Pakistan – UK Protocol is not worth the paper that it is written on and the Government should review it as a matter of urgency.

“I will be writing to the Foreign Secretary and the Pakistan Government demanding a complete review of this case and indeed review the protection of women in Pakistan in similar cases. Young women should not have to suffer in the way that Asma and her family have and it is clear that they have been let down by both the British and Pakistan Governments.”