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Dying Pakistani student's family denied Australia visa Dying Pakistani student's family granted Australia visas
(about 4 hours later)
Australian authorities have refused to grant a visa to the family of a Pakistani student dying of skin cancer. A decision to deny a dying Pakistani student's family a visa to visit Australia has been overturned.
Hassan Asif, 25, is in the final stages of his life and unable to fly home to Pakistan because he is too sick. Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said the mother and brother of Hassan Asif would be granted visas to Australia.
Mr Asif came to Australia to study architecture, but was diagnosed with terminal skin cancer in July. Mr Asif was studying architecture at a university in Melbourne when he was diagnosed with terminal skin cancer in July.
"I'm dying and it's really hard because of the pain. In these circumstances everybody would like to be with family," Mr Asif told Network Ten. His case attracted wide media attention after he made an emotional plea to see his family before died.
"My mum is always crying about it, always hoping that they will get the visa this time." Mr Dutton's office told the BBC he received a call on Wednesday afternoon confirming the decision to grant Mr Asif's mother and brother a visa.
The immigration department said in a statement that the family's current application would not be reviewed. Family wish
But the statement said that Mr Asif's family was welcome to lodge new applications. Mr Asif told Network Ten on Tuesday night that it was difficult to face the prospect of death without his family around him and questioned why they had been denied visas.
"The likelihood of an applicant overstaying or seeking to remain permanently in Australia is also a matter that must be assessed. Particularly in compassionate circumstances, a decision-maker takes all of the facts of a particular case into consideration," the statement said. "I'm dying and it's really hard because of the pain. In these circumstances everybody would like to be with family," he said.
Hassan's dying wish At an earlier press conference, Mr Dutton said that in such cases immigration officials would have considered several factors before granting or denying visas, including the likelihood applicants might overstay their visa or make a claim for protection.
"In some cases that can result in millions of dollars of expense to the taxpayer," he said.
"It may mean that somebody is here on welfare for an extended period of time so the consideration has to be in the national interest."
Bucket list
The Melbourne City Mission homelessness centre has been caring for Mr Asif, who was previously living in a squat.The Melbourne City Mission homelessness centre has been caring for Mr Asif, who was previously living in a squat.
The centre's director, Sheridan Bruinhout, told the BBC Mr Asif was due to graduate from university next year, but gave up his studies after undergoing chemotherapy. The centre's director, Sheridan Bruinhout, said Mr Asif had a relatively small social network because his focus had been on studying.
She said Mr Asif had a relatively small social network because his focus was on studying.
But he was currently ticking off a "bucket list" that included getting his feet wet at the beach, going to the movies and visiting the Melbourne Aquarium, she said.But he was currently ticking off a "bucket list" that included getting his feet wet at the beach, going to the movies and visiting the Melbourne Aquarium, she said.
Ms Bruinhout said she would be attending a cricket match with Mr Asif on Wednesday night.
Mr Asif is currently living in crisis accommodation with seven other people.
"He's had an amazing impact on the other residents and has an amazing way of putting life in perspective," Ms Bruinhout said.