BRP received with place of birth written as PAKI

[daniyal]

Hi,
Just received my biometric residence permit and on the back side it states Place of Birth -

RAWALPINDI, PAKI

I think it is disgraceful of UKBA to abbreviate the country name to a facial slur.

The abbreviation Paki acquired offensive connotations in the 1960s when used by British tabloids to refer to subjects of former colony states in a derogatory and dearly beloved manner. In modern British usage "Paki" is typically used in a derogatory way as a label for all South Asians, including Indians, Afghans and Bangladeshis. To a lesser extent, the term has been applied as a facial slur towards Arabs and other Middle Eastern-looking groups who may resemble South Asians. During the 60's many emigrants were also dubbed as "black" to further segregate them from the white community. Some would say such a division still exists in parts of England and here is a perfect example set by UKBA.

Any suggestions how to go about complaining about this.

Many thanks,

[ScopeD]

Hi,
Just received my biometric residence permit and on the back side it states Place of Birth -

RAWALPINDI, PAKI

I think it is disgraceful of UKBA to abbreviate the country name to a facial slur.

The abbreviation Paki acquired offensive connotations in the 1960s when used by British tabloids to refer to subjects of former colony states in a derogatory and dearly beloved manner. In modern British usage "Paki" is typically used in a derogatory way as a label for all South Asians, including Indians, Afghans and Bangladeshis. To a lesser extent, the term has been applied as a facial slur towards Arabs and other Middle Eastern-looking groups who may resemble South Asians. During the 60's many emigrants were also dubbed as "black" to further segregate them from the white community. Some would say such a division still exists in parts of England and here is a perfect example set by UKBA.

Any suggestions how to go about complaining about this.

Many thanks,

I'm with you there. Perhaps you might want to consider writting a formal complaint to the UKBA. That is what I would do under these circumstances. Please see this link http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/about ... complaint/

[geriatrix]

It may not be a facial slur (as you assume) but it is possible that the country name appears as you say it does because of restriction on number of characters allowed in this POB field (as defined in the software application used).

Perhaps other Pakistani citizens who have been issued a BRP can confirm if the country name is displayed only as it appears in your BRP. If not, you know why.

[sagareva]

It may not be a facial slur (as you assume) but it is possible that the country name appears as you say it does because of restriction on number of characters allowed in this POB field (as defined in the software application used).

Perhaps other Pakistani citizens who have been issued a BRP can confirm if the country name is displayed only as it appears in your BRP. If not, you know why.

so you are suggesting that they only have FOUR letters alloted for a country field? seriously? So people will also be listed as having been born in RUSS, FRANC and (most importantly) GERM? ))

[geriatrix]

You are assuming that the POB field has two different input fields - "place" and "country". It may very well be a single field (with fixed number of characters allowed). Since the software developer is not a member of the forum, I don't think we will get clear answer as to what the fact is!

The simplest way of getting a clarification on the matter is to ask the question : Can someone born in Pakistan who has been issued with a BRP confirm what is written on the BRP as the place and country of birth?

[INSIDER]

I sympathise with you and can quite understand your anger.

It seems quite odd that it should be abbreviated in this way. In my experience of the Home Office all countries are abbreviated to only three letters, so Pakistan is PAK. The IT system I currently use at UKBA does not allow the recognition of any other abbreviation.

It would be interesting to see, as Sushdmehta said, if other Pakistani nationals with a BRP have the same experience. I certainly will be looking out for it when next I come across one.

[Aryan2013]

There is no official def. for 'facial Slur', as far as I know!

It is interesting to note that many of the BRP's I've checked, almost all of them had "Place of Birth"(No mention of country) and then they have a field for Nationality.

It may be a mis-print so it's worth pointing to UKBA.