The rushed process in giving Australian citizenship to promising cricketer Fawad Ahmed has been questioned with a media report revealing that the Immigration Department thought the Pakistani's case for asylum was "borderline".
Leg-spinner Ahmed was granted citizenship last year in a blaze of publicity as he was hailed as a possible saviour of the Australian cricket team, which had lost a disastrous Test series in India and was heading to the Ashes series in England in low spirits.
In response to heavy lobbying from Cricket Australia, which had a former Gilliard government staffer leading the case, and the wider cricketing fraternity, changes to federal legislation were approved to fast-track his application.
some of which were obtained through Freedom of Information, show that the "department thought his case was 'borderline' from the beginning and was worried it 'may result in an adverse impact' on other asylum seekers 'who apply through the normal channels'".
The report says "Ahmed received special treatment from both major political parties due to ongoing pressure from the cricket establishment".
The changes to the Citizenship Act passed both houses in June last year, but while Ahmed has represented Australia in ODIs and Twenty20 matches, and played for Australia A, he has not yet played Test cricket.
Ahmed's claim for asylum was initially rejected by both the Immigration Department and Refugee Review Tribunal, with confidential documents showing the tribunal member who reviewed the case did not believe many of his claims of persecution, the report states.
As the pressure grew on the government to help Ahmed, the department gave advice that, if the minister Chris Bowen intervened, it believed a six-month tourist visa would be the "most appropriate" course.
However, the report states that Ahmed would not have been able to obtain a professional cricket contract under a tourist visa. He was issued a permanent visa, with the report stating some federal politicians kept their uneasiness quiet because of the upcoming election campaign.
Comment is being sought from Cricket Australia.
