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Indian-origin journalist denied Pak visa in UK
Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Channel 4 News presenter, was refused a visa to travel to Pak to cover the quake because his parents were born in India.
Krishnan Guru-Murthy, the well known Channel 4 News presenter, was refused a visa to travel to Pakistan on Sunday to cover the earthquake because his parents were born in India.
Guru-Murthy spent several hours at the visa desk set up by the Pakistan High Commission at Heathrow airport in London, but was finally refused permission to travel.
He was told his parents' birthplace made it necessary for further background checks to be carried out. His crew eventually travelled without him.
Fellow Channel 4 News presenter Jon Snow was able to fly on a later flight.
Guru-Murthy, who was born in Britain, is a leading light of Britain's Asian community.
The Pakistan High Commission in London had set up a special desk at Heathrow to process emergency visa applications from journalists and relatives of Pakistan residents wishing to travel to the region.
Reports say that other journalists who arrived at the airport had no problems getting visas to fly to Islamabad.
Guru-Murthy had reported from Pakistan before, and while his background had reportedly caused minor delays before, this was the first time that he had been refused an emergency visa.
