Meera seeks UK visa to visit ailing sister

F.P. Report

LONDON: Renowned Pakistani actress Meera has requested the British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Jane Marriott, to assess her UK visa application fairly and allow her to visit her sister, who is currently undergoing cancer treatment in London.

Meera, whose real name is Syeda Irtiza Rubab and who is widely recognised for her successful acting and modeling career in Lollywood, submitted her visa application earlier this week.

In her appeal, she stated: “I urge the UK authorities to evaluate my case on its merits. A miscommunication previously led to my visa denial. My residence is in London, and my family lives there. My sister is battling cancer, and I must visit her. Please issue me a visa based on merit.”

Documents reveal that over a decade ago, UK authorities denied Meera entry and imposed movement restrictions, which her family attributes to a misunderstanding during an English-language interview where both Meera and the visa officer had difficulty understanding each other.

In January, Meera’s mother, Shafqat Zahra Bukhari, made an emotional appeal to the UK High Commission in Pakistan, requesting they grant Meera a visa to reunite with her family and fulfill work commitments.

The difficulties Meera has faced didn’t stop at the 10-year ban. After the ban was lifted, a travel agent reapplied for her UK visit visa but submitted inaccurate information, resulting in another rejection for “false representation.”

Meera’s family is primarily based in the UK, one sister lives in Germany, another is a solicitor in London, and her mother mostly resides in a London home purchased with Meera’s earnings.

Despite being a US Green Card holder and a frequent traveler to the United States, Meera has been unable to enter the UK due to past visa complications.

“The ban is now over, and Meera should be allowed into the UK. She has several film projects lined up in the UK that have stalled due to her absence. These projects depend on her presence and can only proceed once she is there,” her mother stressed.