THERE are times when even the most well-meaning of people can come up with the most lunatic of decisions, arrived at by a process that seems all too sensible.

The case of the two Afghan brothers, Ezatullah and Sifatutullah Hotak, is looking increasingly like one of these.

Independent confirmation of their background in strife-torn Afghanistan is not easy, but their story is one that needs careful and thoughtful consideration.

They have lost their parents to attacks by the Taliban, apparently and, indeed, each seems to have believed for a while that the other brother had been killed, too.

Ezatullah, the 19-year-old older brother, was spirited out of the country via Pakistan and eventually turned up in the UK four years ago, aged 15, seeking asylum.

It has taken the authorities a long time to decide that his papers are not in order, but he is now about to be sent back to Afghanistan tonight.

But the position has been complicated by the arrival in the UK two years of the younger Sifatutullah, apparently then aged about 12.

His story is one of abuse and exploitation, and the traumatised youth has retreated into himself and only communicates with the outside world through his brother.

Sifatutullah, however, is being allowed to stay, at least for the time being.

No doubt correct procedures have been followed, but the immigration authorities seem to have got themselves into a mess here, and would appear to have dropped bodies like Liverpool social services into a mess, too.

A hefty dose of common sense is needed here. The boys must surely stay together and Ezatullah – and therefore Sifatutullah too – should stay here for the immediate future.