Key facts
- Pakistan is resisting UK attempts to deport Shabir Ahmed, a convicted grooming gang leader.
- Ahmed has dual British-Pakistani citizenship and arrived in the UK before 1973.
- Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated the matter is an internal UK issue.
- The UK government is considering changes to the Immigration Act 1971 to facilitate deportations.
- Ahmed was released from prison and is under strict license conditions, including GPS monitoring.
Pakistan is resisting the UK's efforts to deport Shabir Ahmed, the ringleader of a Rochdale grooming gang convicted of serious sexual offenses against girls as young as 12. Tahir Andrabi, a spokesperson for Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that Ahmed is a British national who committed his crimes in the UK and that Pakistan has no connection to the matter. Andrabi emphasized that any decisions regarding Ahmed's release or legal status fall exclusively within the jurisdiction of British authorities and must be handled according to UK law.
Ahmed, who arrived in the UK in the late 1960s, has dual British-Pakistani citizenship. His deportation is complicated by provisions in the Immigration Act 1971, which bar the removal of Commonwealth citizens who arrived before 1973 and have resided in the UK for five years. The UK government is considering amendments to this act to prevent foreign criminals guilty of serious offenses from using these protections as a bar to removal.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has stated that the 1971 Act should not prevent the removal of individuals like Ahmed. Following his release from prison, Ahmed has been placed in 24-hour supervised accommodation and fitted with a GPS-monitored electronic tag. The Home Office has indicated that his removal is contingent on Pakistan accepting him. Some victims have expressed fear and a lack of safety following his release, while politicians like Andy Burnham have called for his deportation.