Ten Eyewitness NewsHassan Asif is dying of cancer, but Australia's government won't grant his family a visa to visit him
Australian authorities have refused to grant a visa to the family of a Pakistani student dying of skin cancer.
Hassan Asif, 25, is in the final stages of his life and unable to fly home to Pakistan because he is too sick.
Mr Asif came to Australia to study architecture, but was diagnosed with terminal skin cancer in July.
"I'm dying and it's really hard because of the pain. In these circumstances everybody would like to be with family," Mr Asif told Network Ten.
"My mum is always crying about it, always hoping that they will get the visa this time."
The immigration department said in a statement that the family's current application would not be reviewed.
But the statement said that Mr Asif's family was welcome to lodge new applications.
"The likelihood of an applicant overstaying or seeking to remain permanently in Australia is also a matter that must be assessed. Particularly in compassionate circumstances, a decision-maker takes all of the facts of a particular case into consideration," the statement said.
Hassan's dying wish
The Melbourne City Mission homelessness centre has been caring for Mr Asif, who was previously living in a squat.
The centre's director, Sheridan Bruinhout, told the BBC Mr Asif was due to graduate from university next year, but gave up his studies after undergoing chemotherapy.
She said Mr Asif had a relatively small social network because his focus was on studying.
But he was currently ticking off a "bucket list" that included getting his feet wet at the beach, going to the movies and visiting the Melbourne Aquarium, she said.
Ms Bruinhout said she would be attending a cricket match with Mr Asif on Wednesday night.
Mr Asif is currently living in crisis accommodation with other people.
"He's had an amazing impact on the other residents and has an amazing way of putting life in perspective," Ms Bruinhout said.
Credit: BBC
Credit: BBC
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