SO PROUD OF GARY'S BATTLE FOR HUMANITY

REFUGEE WHO SHARED LINEKER'S HOUSE ON ROW

- SIMON MURPHY

GARY Lineker put the migrants row behind him yesterday and returned to TV as a refugee hailed him a "caring and loving defender of humanity".

Law student Rasheed Baluch, who was a guest at Lineker’s home for weeks, spoke as the Match of the Day star hosted an FA Cup special days after being reinstated by the BBC.

Desperate Rasheed, 35, was given free bed and board at Lineker’s £4 million Surrey home in 2020.

He told of the star’s kindness and backed him for speaking out against Tory proposals for deporting migrants.

Sharing his story for the first time, Rasheed said: “He has been given the right of freedom, right of thought and expression. So if the institutions react so negatively against the statement of Gary, it is undemocratic and unfair.

“Gary has come forward to defend humanity. It should be a point of pride for the British public.”

Human rights activist Rasheed left the Pakistan province of Balochistan, fearing for his safety. His wife is still there.

He said Lineker helped him with his travel costs, was keen to hear his story – and was a “fantastic cook who served mindblowing meals”.