Bashir Ahmad, Scotland’s first Muslim MSP, has welcomed the jury’s guilty verdict in the case of Bilal Abdallah – one of the Glasgow Airport attackers.

Commenting on the verdict Mr Ahmad who represents Glasgow said: "I welcome today’s guilty verdict. As a doctor Bilal Abdallah should have valued the sanctity of human life. Instead, when crashing his jeep into Glasgow Airport he showed no regard for who was killed or maimed. It is only by chance that we were fortunate not to suffer any fatalities during this disgraceful attack.

"Mr Abdallah often cited his anger at foreign policy as reasoning for his attack. This can be no justification as we have democratic channels to deal with grievances in the proper way.

SNP MSP Bashir Ahmad has called for action to be taken over forced marriages as the Scottish Parliament prepares to debate the issue this afternoon.

The SNP's annual conference in October supported calls from Mr Ahmad for the Scottish Government to look at ways of tackling the problem of  forced marriages.

Speaking ahead of the debate Mr Ahmad said: "It is vital we are firm and strong in our condemnation of forced marriages, however, we must equally be careful not to stigmatise any community, race or religion.

New £842m Southern General will not waste money on private finance 

Glasgow SNP MSP  Bashir Ahmad  has welcomed confirmation that the new Southern General Hospital  will be built using public money, not waste millions of pounds through the  discredited private finance initiative .

Mr Ahmad received  confirmation  that the Scottish Government has now granted approval for the New Southern Hospitals Project in Glasgow at a total capital cost of the project is £842 million  in a parliamentary question released today. The First Minister announced the plans at the STUC Conference in Inverness.

Glasgow MSP Bashir Ahmad today highlighted a major problem facing hundreds of curry restaurants all over Scotland. Due to new restrictions placed on low-skilled workers coming from out-with the EU many restaurants are being forced to employ Eastern European chefs who are often unfamiliar with making curry dishes.

Commenting on the situation Mr Ahmad said: "Having been a curry restaurant owner myself in the 1980's I remember how difficult it was back then to bring over specialised staff from the subcontinent. With more restaurants open now and new tougher immigration laws, for those outside the EU, we are looking at a real curry crisis.
 

SNP MSP Bashir Ahmad today called on the Scottish Parliament to show its support for the Pakistani Community in Glasgow and those in Pakistan campaigning for democracy following the declaration of emergency rule by President Musharraf on November 3rd.

Mr Ahmad, Scotland’s only Asian MSP condemned the failure of the UK Government to speak out against emergency rule and contrasted the vocal opposition of the UK Government to events in Burma with the delayed reaction to events in Pakistan.
 

Bashir Ahmad MSP tonight joined the First Minister for a dinner at Glasgow Central Mosque to mark their election to the Scottish Parliament and thank the First Minister for his support in the aftermath of the Glasgow Airport attacks.

At the event Mr Ahmad thanked the First Minister by saying: "I am sure you will agree, our First Minister and his Government responded in a fantastic manner to the attack at Glasgow airport. 24 hours after the attack he came to this very mosque to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Muslim community.

"He stood with us to send out a clear message that our community, as Scottish Muslims, is just as sickened with the attempt to take innocent lives as everyone else and I know we thank him for his reassuring words during that time.