'British HC abetting bogus students'

LONDON - A British educationist based in Pakistan has accused British High Commission in Islamabad of dereliction of duty by failing to investigate bogus students entering the UK with false documents through the help of the principal of a prestigious college near Pakistans border with Afghanistan.
Dr David Gosling, the UK-born head of Edwards College Peshawar, in an interview with The Observer said the officials of British High Commission in Islamabad had ignored specific evidence that students were entering British Isles on false papers. He believes they may be turning a blind eye to avoid uncovering corruption.
His explosive allegations come amid increasing diplomatic tensions between Pakistan and Britain over who is to blame for the high numbers of Pakistani nationals entering Britain on illegally obtained visas.
Ten of the 12 men arrested for plotting bomb attacks a fortnight ago were Pakistani nationals who entered UK on student visas. They were released without being charged but now await deportation. In the aftermath of the arrests, Gordon Brown had said, Pakistan has to do more to root out terrorist elements in its country. While Wajid Shamsul Hasan, the Pakistan High Commissioner in London retaliated by saying that the problem was at your end.
Gosling, principal of the 2,000-strong college for three years, said that in December he sent details of students who had obtained bogus student visas, including their names, to the British High Commission in Islamabad but was still waiting for a response. The British High Commission is either turning a blind eye or just cannot cope with violations of visa protocol by local students. They do not appear to have taken my complaints seriously and have not responded to my specific requests to investigate these students since last December. When officials in Islamabad realise that something has gone wrong they try to cover up for the sake of the people involved. But the system appears to be a mess.
The British Council told about two students Gosling last autumn. Two men, then aged 20, had obtained visas by claiming that they would be working on a council scheme, which no longer existed. One of the two students was interviewed by Gosling and admitted that he and his friend had gone to Britain under false pretences. According to letters seen by The Observer, they obtained visas with the help of a corrupt Pakistani lecturer, officials from a British charity and an academic in Britain. Gosling asked the high commission to investigate their cases.
Gosling (64), a physicist and former fellow of Clare Hall Cambridge, said that he knew many of the people working at the high commission and believed that it was no longer functioning properly. There do seem to be major problems in Islamabad. Many of the staff members are now working in Abu Dhabi because of the regularity of bomb threats. We have bomb threats at our college as well, but we ignore them. I am concerned about these few fraudulent cases because I want to see the good students going to Britain and the bad ones held back, he said.
On the other hand, a spokesman of British Immigration now known as UK Border Agency said, Any allegations or information concerning any misconduct of UKBA staff will be investigated fully. UKBA has a Risk and Liaison Overseas Network, which provides additional checks and supports all high-risk posts, including Pakistan, in making the right visa decisions. Pakistan has had such a unit since 2005.
Britains shadow home secretary and leader of Conservative Party Chris Grayling has also called for a formal investigation into Goslings allegations. This is a shocking disclosure which must be fully investigated.