Pak model Rabica Sah

Lahore performing artist claims asylum in UK

A Pakistani performing artist and actress – Rabica Sahar has disappeared in the United Kingdom after entering the country on an entertainment visa, a local new news outlet reported.

Rabica, a resident of Lahore but originally from Okara, claimed asylum in the UK only five days after her arrival on Sept 8. She cited “slavery” and “human trafficking” as reasons, sources claimed.

The Lahore actress had arrived in the UK along with dozens of other artists for a three-month period to perform at various entertainment venues across the country. However, during her last day of performing in London before moving on to Manchester, she reportedly made the appeal for asylum.

According to the report, Rabica Sahar made the request for application because she thought she was being enslaved as her passport was being forcefully held by the club manager. An inspection raid was subsequently carried out at the venue where Rabica was staying. However, authorities failed to find anything suggestive of her being “forced” and “enslaved”.

The report said that it later emerged that the club manager had kept Rabica’s and the other artists’ passports in a safe locker at their request for purposes of safekeeping – something to which other artists testified.