Nishat Abedi, the wife of ill-fated taxi driver Abdul Raheem Fahad Syed who lost his life in a tragic road accident around last Christmas, will be arriving back in New Zealand for the first time after losing her husband.
Gulam Faiz Mohammad, a close family friend, told The Indian Weekender, that Ms Abedi would be arriving in the second half of this month along with his family who had travelled back to India to support her at this extremely difficult time.
“Ms Abedi had conveyed thanks to each and everyone in the community who have helped her during this hour of distress,” Mr Mohammad said.
The community’s role in supporting Ms Abedi and her then five-month-old son in salvaging, at least for now, their much cherished “dream of Kiwi-life” has been nothing less than exemplary.
Waseem Mohammad of Paradise Restaurant, Sandringham, who was also closely involved, along with many others, in rallying community support expressed his satisfaction in salvaging the Kiwi-dream of the family.
“It gives huge satisfaction to us that through everyone’s collective efforts we were able to help the family live their Kiwi-dream,” Mr Mohammad told The Indian Weekender.
The tragic story of road accident of taxi-driver Abdul Raheem Fahad Syed on December 23, just before Christmas holidays last year, has stirred many emotions across the community and beyond.
Even Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, in whose parliamentary constituency the family lived, was terribly moved by the accident and the fallouts on the family.
"I was surrounded by my own family when I read the news of this devastating accident. I cannot comprehend the kind of loss Nishat Abedi is feeling. My thoughts are with her at this difficult time,” Ms Ardern then said to NZ Herald.
Apart from the usual trail of devastation, heartbreak and seemingly never-ending pain that every instance of death leaves behind, in this instance what was at stake was the ability of Ms Abedi and her five-month son to legitimately remain in the country as their visa was due to expire in two months time.
At that time, Mr Syed was family’s only income-earner on a work visa which was due to expire in February 2018, whereas Ms Abedi was not working and looking after their newly born son.
With the unfortunate death of Mr Syed, not only lives of Ms Abedi were turned completely upside down, but also their visa situation was in jeopardy as their visa was dependent on Mr Syed’s visa.
It was at this inopportune time that the community had rallied together to not only to provide support to finance body repatriation of Mr Syed but also to save the Kiwi-dream of his wife and son.
First, an application for consideration of Ms Abedi’s visa on humanitarian grounds was made to the office of Immigration Minister Ian Lees-Galloway, from where they were subsequently advised to apply with the office of Associate Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi.
However, the Indian Weekender learned from the office of Associate Minister Faafoi that such an application was never placed.
In fact, Ms Abdei who had taken time out from the workforce after her studies in NZ when the unfortunate incident happened and almost threatened to engulf her and her late husband’s Kiwi-dream, had chosen to seek work visa, although with help from the community.
Now three months after the tragic accident, Ms Abedi is returning to live her Kiwi-dream on an employer-supported work visa of two years.
It is an apt reminder of how collective community efforts can sometimes make a critical difference in the lives of those who are less fortunate than others.
Pic courtesy NZ Herald / Jason Oxemfam
Meanwhile, earlier last month, Farshad Bahadori Esfehani, the 20-year-old man charged over the fatal crash, appeared in Auckland court on February 12 and was granted bail.
According to court files, police had then reported that Mr Esfehani blew a breath alcohol reading of 908mcg per litre of breath, well over the 250mcg limit for a 20-year-old.
The next hearing of on Mr Esfehani is due in May with new jury members.
ISSUE
Leave a Comment