Visa row: US authorities intent on repatriating comatose Pakistani student

Shahzaib Bajwa had suffered a traffic accident in November 2013, but his visa is now expiring.


Web Desk February 12, 2014
Recent picture of Shahzaib from his Facebook page.

Pakistani student Shahzaib Bajwa, who suffered an accident while studying in the US, faces possible repatriation with expiry of his visa despite his comatose condition, Express News reported on Wednesday.

Bajwa was studying at the University of Wisconsin-Superior as part of an exchange program when on November 13, he suffered severe skull injury when the car struck a deer, as he was driving back from Minneapolis with his friends

His brother Shahraiz Bajwa told Express News that Shahzaib was conscious and able to speak until he arrived at the hospital, but suffered a cardiac arrest because of which blood filled his lungs and oxygen supply to the brain was temporarily blocked, worsening Shahzaib’s condition.

Shahraiz added that the hospital had requested to extend the visa once to see if his condition was improving, but is unwilling to do so again, putting at risk further care for Shahzaib.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Jalil Abbas Jilani has instructed the Consul General in Chicago to help the family in every way possible.

Press Attache Ahmed Nadeem Sadiq Hotiana informed Express News that the embassy has facilitated the family with the visa procedure and with their travel to and within the US.

Shahzaib hails from Faisalabad and was an anthropology major at Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). He was also a member of international non-profit student organisation AIESEC.

COMMENTS (13)

Shariq | 10 years ago | Reply

I had a similar situation my brother had a stroke went into vegetate state as Shahzaib. He was under nursing care for a year in Dubai there was no threat to his life. But we has same pressure from his employer to take him to Pakistan. Since the employer did not renew his visa and health insurance could not be continued we had not choice but to take him to Karachi, Pakistan. He was moved to Aga Khan Hospital being the biggest hospital in Karachi they were not able take good care of him and he died in 3 weeks. Here is link of his news. http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-6-206022-Pak-patient-to-be-moved-from-Dubai-to-Karachi

Now my request to Shahzaib family Please, please do your maximum efforts to keep Shahzaib in USA as much as you can. There is no nursing care facilities in Pakistan. Shahzaib needs nursing care for a long time. As I can see from his picture that he is breathing through tracheotomy and may be a feeding tube is there to feed him. I don`t know how aggressive treatment is needed but for sure he is a patient of long term care, which is not available in Pakistan. Long term care is not expensive at all therefore, I would request to current hospital to sympathize with Shahzaib and please keep him under a good care. We all pray for his recovery. Ameen I salute to the efforts made by current hospital and hope it will be continue to the best interest of the patient. Thanks

Raza | 10 years ago | Reply

I don't understand whats cruel about it. Its very tragic/unfortunate, but the US has discharged its duty, and its quite reasonable to say that he should be repatriated to his home country for care. Btw, healthcare is super-expensive in US, so if the hospital did cover any of his expenses by their own, its remarkable.

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