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The Rediff Special/Murali Krishnan

Gulf War hero fights British army's racism

Nasar Khan, a 33-year-old Gulf War hero, has sued the British army for suffering ten years of systematic abuse at the hands of some of his "sadistic colleagues."

The detailed record of racism has come up before an industrial tribunal in Manchester, which will decide soon whether the army can be brought to book.

Nasar, whose family hails from Pakistan, served with the Desert Rats in the Gulf War. As a fluent Arabic speaker, he played a key role in army intelligence and used to interrogate Iraqi prisoners. He was promoted to lance bombardier and awarded the coveted Gulf War medal.

But the dossier of abuse which he has presented before the tribunal is shocking. The detailed diary, which has been sent to military chiefs as well, chronicles the harassment and torture he underwent from the time he joined the army.

His troubles started as a recruit at the 17 Training Regiment in 1988 where he was assaulted by two soldiers, which resulted in injuries to his spine. A year later when he was posted to Germany, life was made unbearable.

According to the dossier, he was addressed as "Paki" and a "Black B*****d"

His equipment would be thrown around and weapon hidden. He claims that he was threatened with 'detention' and 'dismissal' because "Pakis were not allowed to serve in the army."

When the army commenced deployment for the Gulf, a senior officer reportedly told Nasar that he was on the wrong side.

A father of three, Nasar's family has a strong army lineage. His uncle and father served in the army in Pakistan. His brother, Shammass Khan is a sergeant with the Army Physical Training Corps while his sister, Safina, who used to be a regular soldier, is now with the Territorial Army.

Nasar, who until a month ago was serving with the Royal Artillery in Germany, is being discharged in August after he was injured on a special forces training course last year.

But he is determined to make the army pay compensation for his nightmare ordeal.

Under army rules, Nasar is not allowed to speak to the press. But wife Meenaz says, "My husband will not let them get away with what they have done to him. He will fight to the bitter end and will take the case to any court anywhere."

Nasar says there was no let-up in abuse. His sergeant, says the diary, subjected him to constant abuse. "He told me he would kill me and called me a "stinking Muslim b******d and pathetic Paki t***t"

He tried to escape the abuse. Nasar applied to join the Military Police. But the sergeant reportedly tore the application up in front of him saying," The police don't take Pakis".

Once during a gruelling military exercise, he was left with just a tin of fruits. When he complained he was told: "Change your religion, you Muslim w****r and bring some chapatis next time."

Jack Straw, the British home secretary who is also the MP for Nasar's hometown of Blackburn, has personally taken up the case and asked Armed Forces Minister Dr John Reid to launch a full investigation. But Nasar feels that nothing will come of it.

"It is for this reason we moved the industrial tribunal," says Meenaz. The first hearing was held on June 5, which has adjourned proceedings till July 31.

"All this racist abuse has made our lives a living hell. The people making Nasar suffer were his superiors and if he has given anything back, he would have been locked up," says Meenaz.

A spokesperson for the ministry of defence refused to comment on the matter. "The matter is reportedly in the tribunal," was the only comment.

Nasar and his family say they received hate phone calls and letters after submitting the complaint. One phone caller said: "I am going to kill you, you Black b*****d".

"They cannot hide anymore and we are determined to make them pay," said a family member. Nasar is suing for racial and religious harassment and demanding financial compensation.

Once he is discharged from the army, he hopes to study law but for now, Nasar is determined to pursue the case to its logical conclusion.

The Rediff Specials

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