A SOLICITOR who runs a personal injury claim firm in Blackburn is helping to fight legal battles in other countries.

Shabaz Ahmed, from AA Law Solicitors, in Lord Street West, said profits from cases were being used to support people fighting for justice in countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh and Colombia.

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The 48-year-old, who lives in Chorley, has recently returned from a trip to the South American country. There he saw first-hand how the money donated by the Blackburn firm had provided help for the family of a student who was shot dead during a protest at a university.

Mr Ahmed said: “We part fund or provide legal support for people in far-flung places.

“We are a small legal firm in Blackburn, but we have been doing this for a number of years.

“As personal injury solicitors we are often given a reputation of being ambulance chasers. We do earn profits, but we invest them in worthwhile projects.

“It is important because sometimes we take our human rights for granted in this country.”

Mr Ahmed went to Columbia where he met the mother and father of Jhonny Silva, who was attacked by Colombian state agents during a protest at the University del Valle, in Valle Del Cauca, in September 2005.

His parents have struggled to ensure that the perpetrators are prosecuted.

Mr Ahmed said when he heard about the story, he was desperate to help.

He said: “These are people who are so traumatised because of what happened to their son. We have a student population here in Blackburn with the university centre and there were demonstrations up and down the country a short while back. It is hard to believe something like what happened to Jhonny could take place.”

Mr Ahmed estimated that more than £100,000 had been given by his company to projects led by War on Want since 2006.

The charity aims to fight ‘political poverty’ in developing countries in partnership with those affected by globalisation.

It also campaigns for human rights and against what it calls ‘the root causes of global poverty, inequality and injustice’.

He added: “Jhonny’s family cannot get closure because there is no justice for them.

“We are trying from Blackburn to help them with that.”