Key facts
- Rukhsar Ahmed, a former Pakistan state minister, was arrested in July 2024 on suspicion of raping and trafficking underage girls.
- He was released on bail and traveled to Pakistan, where he was subsequently elected as an MP.
- Ahmed has declined to provide a date for his return to the UK to face the charges.
- He stated that his legal team advised him not to discuss the ongoing legal matters.
- Ahmed has categorically denied all allegations against him.
Rukhsar Ahmed, a former Pakistan state minister and current Member of Parliament, has reportedly refused to specify when he will return to the UK to face charges of rape and trafficking. Ahmed was arrested at Manchester airport in July 2024 on suspicion of abusing at least two underage girls from care homes in the 1990s. He was released on bail and subsequently traveled to Pakistan, where he was elected as an MP for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s party.
Approached by reporters, Ahmed stated that his legal teams in Manchester and London advised him not to discuss the case. He told the Mail on Sunday that he would fly back to Britain to meet his bail conditions but did not provide a date. Ahmed also expressed that media coverage in the UK and Europe was "out of order" and that he had not been convicted or charged with anything.
In a statement on Facebook, Ahmed categorically denied all allegations and stated he would address them through appropriate forums, adding that he would not comment further on legal advice. He was a minister in various state governments from 2006 until 2021. Greater Manchester Police had sought to impose stricter travel restrictions as part of his bail conditions, but a judge rejected the request. Ahmed is understood to be expected to answer police bail within the next six weeks, and failure to do so could result in a warrant for his arrest or extradition proceedings.