“It’s a basic human rights issue."
British Pakistani travellers quarantining at the Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel near Heathrow Airport, London, are protesting over the lack of facilities.
They gathered outside and complained over not being provided food during fast timings.
Travellers also claimed that they have not been getting three meals a day as promised.
Hasnain Sheikh spoke on behalf of 19 families. He said:
“It’s a basic human rights issue.
“People have not received food for the three meals that were contractually supposed to be provided to the families.
“The food that has been delivered has not been on time.
“Moreover, we are in the midst of the Holy month of Ramadan.
“There are people who have fasted without receiving any food at all.”
He also said that children at the quarantine hotel were provided cold food while others suffered food poisoning.
Mr Sheikh has called for the UK government to take notice of the “unacceptable” conditions.
He added that people staying at the quarantine hotel have paid a lot of money for their living arrangements for 10 days.
Ghulam Sayyadain alleged that hotel staff has made numerous promises to families but are failing to deliver the basics, such as food and water.
They are also ignoring the requirements of children.
He said: “More promises and assurances are being given via hotel security, but our plea needs to be heard.
“This is a human rights crisis and I hope the government pays attention.”
Abdullah Inayat travelled from Lahore with his family, including three children. He complained about the poor quality of the meals being provided to the people there.
He alleged that his three-year-old son got food poisoning after a meal at the hotel.
Mr Inayat added: “My family was forced to eat cold food and was not facilitated at all.”
One family of five at another London quarantine hotel told Geo News that they stayed in one room and it was very difficult in the cramped conditions.
One of the members said: “We are stuffed in one room like animals.
“We have paid more than £3,500 only to quarantine and we have been deprived of even the basic facilities.
“For a family of five to live in a medium-sized room is unhygienic and there are dangers to [our] health.”
Pakistan was added to the UK government’s ‘red list‘ on April 9, 2021.
The list was introduced for international travellers in a bid to reduce the spread of Covid-19.
Any UK resident returning to the UK having visited a country on the ‘red list’ is required to purchase a quarantine package.
This includes staying in a government-approved quarantine hotel for 10 days.
Despite the allegations made by the British Pakistani travellers, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said:
“Hotels providing managed quarantine facilities are able to accommodate the vast majority of people’s requirements and are obligated to provide guests with three meals a day, access to WIFI, welfare and health support.”
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