The Liverpool Echo has helped a school governor win his fight against deportation to Pakistan.

Arif Dar has won a temporary reprieve after intervention by the newspaper.

He is now back with his family in Liverpool after spending a month in a detention centre.

After fleeing Pakistan due to political turmoil the Dar family settled in Bootle, Merseyside and became pillars of the community. Arif Dar became a parent-governor of the school at which his two daughters passed their A levels.

But in May however, he was snatched by immigration officers and held in an Oxfordshire detention centre. His asylum plea was rejected and officer Tony McNulty refused to intervene.

The Echo stepped in to highlight Arif Dar’s case, contesting that Arif and his family would face persecution if sent back to Pakistan.

Intervention by the Echo, Labour MP Joe Benton and local residents forced a Home Office rethink.

Arif is now on bail until November 7 while a final appeal is considered. No date has been set for that appeal.

Mr Dar said: “I wish to take my hat off to the Echo, to Joe Benton and to the whole community.

“Without them, I would not be back in Bootle with my family who have suffered a great deal. Every day has been torture for them

“I can’t thank them enough. They have shown that people care about justice and compassion.”

Echo political reporter Nick Coligan said: “The government seems to have seen sense with the unique case of Arif Dar

“They have to treat Mr Dar’s case on its merits, listen to the community of which he is now a pillar and ask if it is in anyone’s interests to deport him”.