Page 43 - Real Rochdale Issue 18 Summer 2023

DEPUTY Lieutenant “My kids embarrassed me into Away from his community work, and good friends. I can’t say I’ve
climbed Everest or swam the
doing this. I was planting trees
Asrar remains a consultant and a
abroad in my parents’ memory subject matter expert for the channel, but I just do my little bit
after they died, and my children
National Crime Agency, is a
to make Rochdale better.
ASRAR UL-HAQ OBE told me I wasn’t making much member of the Greater “I love what I do and that I have
Manchester Advisory
difference with just a couple of
trees. Committee to the Lord the time to do it. My wife helps
Chancellor and the Lord Chief me in everything I do; she’s
Asrar Ul-Haq was appointed by Her Majesty the Queen as a deputy “We came up with the scheme Justice, and was a governor of always in the background. My
lieutenant of Greater Manchester in 2021 due to his work in the to donate olive trees, which Rochdale Sixth Form College. wife has lived in Rochdale most
of her life and our children were
are of significance to churches,
community. Here, he tells Real Rochdale more about his efforts which mosques and synagogues. We Concluding, he said: “I’m blessed born here.
in lots of ways, I had wonderful
gift a tree and request they plant
led to him becoming one of the King’s representatives and also at least one more in return.” parents, I have a great family “I’m proud of Rochdale.”
being awarded an OBE. The Amaani Initiative

subsequently led to the Mosques
Despite being born in Lahore, Pakistan, Asrar Court Judges, Magistrates and Chief Constables for and Churches in Bloom schemes,
identifies as “Rochdale, through and through.” His his work. He received a national award for seeing the religious venues
family moved to Rochdale when he was two, after Innovation in Policing from the Home Secretary and working alongside Rochdale
his father came to Britain to ensure his children later was the recipient of a national award for in Bloom to make the borough
received the best education in the world. Inspirational Leadership. greener. Around 800 trees have
been planted under the Amaani
He attended Kingsway and Balderstone schools Since retirement, Asrar has also voluntarily worked Initiative so far.
before gaining an honours degree in physics and in refugee camps in Greece following the crisis in
maths at university. He originally wanted to join the the middle east where he and his family supported Asrar is working with the
Royal Air Force as a pilot and successfully secured many displaced people, including setting up University of Manchester
a place to train as a navigator following intensive outdoor cinemas for children in the evenings using Hospital Trust to raise money to
testing. old PowerPoint projectors. buy a CT scanner and gift it to
the trust so that it can be used
“I was told that, now that I was familiar with the The father-of-two is also behind a new pilot scheme to determine a cause of death
process, to come back in 12 months if I wanted to in Rochdale, which sees the Duke of Edinburgh without the need for an invasive
be considered for pilot training, so I started looking Award scheme being delivered by non-traditional post-mortem examination. The
around to fill that time and get life skills,” he said. organisations to reach young people who may not scanner will be gifted to the trust
otherwise be able to access it. Local community with the understanding that the
Asrar joined the police force, a decision he says his interest company, Aspire 2 Inspire, became the first, community will have access to
father was pleased with as he was following in the followed by two local mosques. the scanner free of charge at the
family footsteps: his great-grandfather had been point of need following a
the head constable under the British Raj in Punjab, He explained: “The DofE is generally delivered in bereavement.
whilst his grandfather was an inspector. more affluent schools and places like Rochdale
haven’t had that luxury. Engagement in Rochdale He is also in talks with Rochdale
“My father was very pleased, but my mum was has been poor due to the lack of organisations Council about erecting a modest
distraught because she had no faith in the police. At delivering any such schemes. memorial in Rochdale to
the time, the National Front were active and risks commemorate the oft-forgotten
were rife. The police never used to turn up when “These different delivery models have got an extra sacrifice of the four million South
you called them.” 150 kids participating in the award, which gives Asian soldiers who fought in
them a distinct advantage with their UCAS and job World War One and Two in
Asrar was posted to Rochdale where he quickly applications. It teaches life skills and puts them in support of Britain. “I go to
became a detective, working in various a better position. If this delivery model becomes remembrance events, and it
departments before becoming responsible for national, that’s great news for Rochdale because we hurts me that there is no
policing in the city centre of Manchester, which he developed this first.” mention of the Asian
describes as “the best part of my policing career.” contribution, despite making
Asrar is also the driving force behind the local up 25% of the soldiers, which is
Having served as a police officer for 30 years, Amaani Initiative, a project aimed at enhancing the more than the ANZACs, or any
including as a Detective Chief Inspector in London local environment and making people more climate other groups,” he said.
in the Prevention of Terrorism Unit, Asrar received aware, with the aim of tackling climate change.
numerous awards and commendations from High

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