A Pakistani man died of heart attack on September 9 while waiting for his deportation in a New Jersey prison, sources said.

Shehzad Tanveer, 42, who came to the United States about 13 years ago, was believed to be worried about his financial predicament awaiting him in Gujranwala, Pakistan before his death.

During his stay in the United States, according to reports, Tanveer got married and had two children – a seven-year-old son and a four-year-old daughter – who are living with their mother in Pakistan.

On August 3, around 5:00 a.m., Shahbaz Muighal, a friend of Tanveer’s, told Pakistan Post, that the FBI and immigration officials came to Tanveer’s apartment on Ocean Avenue, in Brooklyn.

The immigration officials were searching for Adeel, a student who changed his university without notifying the immigration authorities, Muighal said, adding that Adeel's former university alerted the immigration authorities after he changed his university.

Since all the other residents at the apartment were green card holders, Muighal said, the immigration officials took Adeel and Tanveer’s passports and ordered them to appear at the Federal Plaza Bldg. on August 11. But when they appeared before immigration officials, Adeel was released while Tanveer was incarcerated, Muighal added.

On August 15, Tanveer was brought to Manhattan. However, since he had already signed the documents for his voluntary deportation, he was moved to a detention center in Freehold, New Jersey, awaiting his deportation to Pakistan, Muighal said.

It may be recalled that deportation orders of thousands of people have so far been issued in the United States, but none of those ordered to leave are willing to go back to their home countries. Undocumented immigrats caught by immigration officials are being forcibly deported by the government.

Muighal, who knew Tanveer even back in Pakistan, said that Tanveer last visited Pakistan four years ago. He also said that Tanveer’s daughter was born after he returned to the United States, therefore he had never seen her.

Tanveer married a Latino woman about six months ago and then applied for adjustment of his status, Muighal said. However, the immigration judge turned down his application by declaring that his was a fake marriage. Instead, the judge ordered Tanveer's deportation on the spot, Muighal added.

Muighal also said that although Tanveer's death was natural, his deportation proceedings put him under enormous stress and plunged him into a depression. He described Tanveer as a hard working man who would drive a cab seven days a week to support his family in Pakistan.

When asked who arranged the funeral service for his friend, Muighal said that Edhi Trust – a Pakistani relief NGO – shouldered about $3,000 funeral home expenses, aside from the $1,000 donations he received from friends.

Although the Pakistani consulate in New York did not extend any monetary help, Muighal added, Kashif, an officer at the Pakistani consulate did the coordination with the Homeland Security Department.

Muighal said the Homeland Security Department had intially assured that it will bear the funeral expenses for Tanveer, but later flatly refused to honor its commitment. He said because of General Musharraf's U.S. visit, the entire consulate was focused on such event.

When the Pakistani consulate was contacted, no one was available to give comment. The consulate also never bothered to return a call.

Tanveer’s remains were sent to Pakistan. His burial was held on Wednesday night. Tanveer came to the United States in search of his dreams. However, he had never thought that he will not return back to his homeland alive.

A fundraising dinner for Human Development Foundation of Pakistan will be held on September 15 with General Musharraf as the chief guest. This fund is said to be meant for the welfare of Pakistanis in Pakistan. Can the Fund take any initiative to help out the family of Tanveer? This is the question that is being posed to the government by the kin of thousands of other Pakistanis who died in a foreign land, like Shehzad Tanveer. However, no one knows the answer.