HE was tortured by the Taliban who were furious that he was working as a translator for an international coalition of troops who were trying to drive the feared group out of Afghanistan.

Bilal Quereshi, 25, feared for his life until he was packed into a lorry by his uncle and spirited across the border into Iran at the dead of night.

It was the start of a harrowing 8,000 mile journey that ended when he paid to cross the Mediterranean Sea into Italy and onwards through France and into the UK.

But now he, along with 300 other asylum seekers, is facing being thrown out of the UK after being issued with notices to quit their Glasgow homes.

A private firm housing thousands of refugees in Glasgow says it will start evicting up to 300 people who have been told they cannot stay in Britain.

Serco have issued a first six “lock change” notices yesterday giving residents a week to get out with nowhere else to go.

Mr Quereshi said: "I came here because I thought I would be safe. I was tortured by the Taliban and it was only thanks to my uncle that I got out.

"I love Glasgow and want to study here but instead I face going back.

"I need it to be sorted out very quickly but it has dragged on for so long. I am currently homeless and I haven't eaten properly for weeks. It's a desperate situation".

Hameeda Mohammed, 65, arrived in the city 10 years ago with her husband and young son after fleeing the Taliban.

She was a teacher at a girls school but was regularly targeted by the ultra-conservative group as they do not approve of females teaching or girls receiving education.

To get past the group to carry on teaching she donned a burkha every day to hide her face and changed its colours every few days to make it look like she was a different person.

Eventually she fled with her husband and son and flew to the UK and they settled in Springburn where she teaches Afghan children English.

But she breaks down when she considers receiving one of the letters that will send them back to Afghanistan.

She said: "My husband has heart problems and cannot fly. We have various doctors letters confirming this but still they might want to send us back.

"We came here to feel safe and enjoy the last years of our lives but instead we face this. My husband hasn't eaten since we heard about the letters and he is already in bad health."

Politicians have urged the Home Secretary to intervene.

The cross-party group has warned the evictions will spark a "humanitarian crisis" in Glasgow.

SNP, Greens and Labour politicians have all co-signed the letter from Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aiken calling on Sajid Javid to intervene in the plans by public services group Serco.

The letter states: "We share the view that this action by your accommodation provider will trigger a humanitarian crisis in Glasgow, leaving an estimated 300 already vulnerable men, women and children destitute.

"Despite the local authority's status as a Home Office partner in the asylum dispersal programme, there was no meaningful engagement with Serco prior to its announcement that it would commence changing the locks of the accommodation of those who have not been granted refugee status."

It warns the plans are "wholly unacceptable, not least due to the imminent risk of significant harm to a vulnerable group" and said those evicted are more likely to end up sleeping rough than to leave the UK.

It continues: "We hereby call on you, as Home Secretary, to instruct Serco to cease the lock change and eviction programme with immediate effect."

Serco said it is "sympathetic" to those affected but believes it has been more than supportive having provided free housing to rejected asylum seekers without recompense from the Home Office.

Serco has also faced criticism from the housing sector and a protest is planned in Glasgow city centre today.

The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations said Serco is "in danger of putting profit before people" while Positive Action in Housing said some of those affected have stopped leaving their flats to buy food.

Jenni Halliday, Serco contract director, said: "Serco has been providing housing free of charge to over 300 former asylum seekers who no longer have the right to stay in the UK.

"We have been paying for the rent, the rates, the heating and lighting, and insurance on their properties, in many cases for many months all at our own expense.

"Each of these former asylum seekers have been refused the right to stay in the UK by the Government and the Home Office does not fund Serco to provide them with accommodation.

"Whilst we are sympathetic to their plight, we believe we have been more than supportive of these individuals by providing them with an additional period of housing in which to make alternative arrangements but we cannot continue to provide free housing indefinitely.

"We have therefore started legal proceedings to repossess our properties."