By Asif Ali
Asif fled Pakistan for Australia in 2012, seeking safety and a better future. After enduring incredibly difficult conditions on his journey, he was finally granted a permanent visa following 12 years in limbo. Asif now embraces life as a passionate foodie, avid explorer, and lover of the open road.
Twelve years. That’s how long I’ve been waiting to call Australia my safe home. Stuck in a limbo that has prevented me from being free in a country that was so promising. In 2012, I arrived in Australia seeking safety, hoping for a chance to rebuild my life. Instead, I found myself trapped in an endless bureaucratic nightmare– one that inhibited me from accessing my basic rights, and kept me from working, travelling, and planning a future.
After 12 years in limbo, I was among the few finally granted a permanent visa. While I am grateful to finally live and build the future I have long yearned for in Australia, this reality has not been afforded to everyone who was in a similar position.
I left Pakistan because my life was at risk, particularly in my hometown of Parachinar, which has long been affected by sectarian violence, persecution, and militant attacks. The region has seen repeated cycles of violence, with innocent people targeted simply because of their identity. Threats, insecurity, and a lack of protection from authorities made it impossible for me to stay. I had no choice but to leave in search of safety.
My journey to Australia was long and filled with uncertainty. Like many people seeking safety, I had to take dangerous and desperate measures to escape. After leaving Pakistan, I travelled through multiple countries before arriving in Australia by boat in 2012. The journey was terrifying, overcrowded boats, rough seas, and the constant fear of being caught or turned away. But the hope of safety kept me going.
I faced constant struggle, exploitation, fear, and physical hardship during my journey.
When I fled my home country, I never imagined that my fight for survival would continue long after I reached a supposed place of refuge. Like thousands of other people seeking safety, I have been trapped in Australia’s broken refugee and humanitarian system, subjected to policies designed not to protect, but to deter.
When I arrived in Australia, I was placed in detention, where I endured harsh and inhumane conditions, uncertainty, and psychological distress. It was almost as if I was being punished for seeking safety and protection.
For over a decade, I was unable to work legally. Without a visa, I had no access to stable employment, no financial security, and no ability to build my future in this country.
I volunteer at Parliament on King, a café in Newtown that supports refugees and people seeking safety. Being part of a community that understands my struggle has been a lifeline.
In 2016, my mother passed away. I wasn’t there to hold her hand, to say goodbye, or to grieve with my family. In 2022, my father passed away as well. I hadn’t seen him since I was 16. These are the moments that people seeking safety live with every day—the milestones we miss, the goodbyes we never get to say.
Finally receiving my visa feels like stepping into the light after years in the shadows. There’s relief, but also the weight of everything I’ve lost, the time, the opportunities, the moments with family that can never be replaced. It’s a victory, but one that came at a cost. No one should have to fight this hard just to have a normal life. Everyone deserves certainty, dignity, and the chance to build their future without endless waiting.
A plea for change
There are thousands of people who are seeking safety and permanent protection, like me, who have been living in limbo for over a decade. We are not criminals. We are not a threat. We are human beings who deserve a chance to build a life.
I share my story not for sympathy, but to ignite change. The system must change. The endless waiting must end. No one should have to spend twelve years of their life in uncertainty, watching their dreams slip away.
It’s time for action. It’s time for justice. It’s time for people seeking safety in Australia to finally be seen, heard, and granted the dignity we deserve.
It is well-documented that Australia has a long history of subjecting people seeking safety to human rights abuses—practices that have been openly condemned by human rights experts, community groups, and the international community. In January this year, the UN Human Rights Committee once again condemned Australia’s use of offshore detention facilities, holding the government responsible for subjecting asylum seekers to arbitrary detention and further exposing them to degrading, cruel, and inhumane treatment.
Amid a global crisis that has forced millions to flee their homes in search of safety, the Australian Government must commit to introducing a fair protection visa process for asylum seekers. This includes ensuring adequate access to legal and settlement services, as well as clear pathways to permanency. Essential reforms should include lifting the bar on individuals failed by the Fast Track system and expanding Australia’s humanitarian intake.
Amnesty International Australia calls on the Government to urgently strengthen its commitment to humanitarian protection by expanding its humanitarian intake and providing safe pathways for those fleeing crisis, persecution and genocide. Australia must establish a more flexible and responsive process for emergency intakes during global crises, ensuring those in immediate danger receive timely protection. Community sponsorship programs should be reformed to increase the number of places available while focusing solely on protection needs. By taking these actions, Australia can demonstrate leadership in humanitarian efforts and offer safety to those in dire need of safety.
Amnesty International is a global movement of more than 10 million people who take injustice personally. We are campaigning for a world where human rights are enjoyed by all – and we can only do it with your support.
Act now or learn more about our work to protect refugees and people seeking asylum.
