Tens of thousands of people have signed a petition calling on the Home Office not to deport a Christian family back to Pakistan.

Maqsood Bakhsh led Pakistan in 2012 with his wife Parveen and their two young sons after Islamic extremists threatened to kill him because of his religious beliefs.

However the Home Office has rejected their applications for asylum on the grounds that officials do not believe the family would be at risk in Pakistan.

By the end of July, over 40,000 people had signed the petition started by their minister at Possilpark Parish Church, the Rev Linda Pollock. They are also supported by Paul Sweeney, MP for Glasgow North East, Bob Doris, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, and the Rt Rev Susan Brown, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

Mrs Brown said: “Tens of thousands of people want their names to count in the campaign to allow the Bakhsh family to stay in Scotland.

“This is a family who call this country home and the uncertainty they are living with is cruel.”