LONDON/ISLAMABAD: The United Kingdom has hinted at the possibility of imposing visa sanctions on Pakistan amid mounting tensions over the deportation of Shabir Ahmed, the convicted leader of the Rochdale grooming gang. Islamabad, in turn, has emphasized that the case is solely a British legal matter and has no connection to Pakistan.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper briefed the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, stating that the UK government is prepared to explore “all available options” to persuade countries to accept the return of offenders it seeks to deport.
Addressing questions about Ahmed, Cooper confirmed that the UK has repeatedly raised his case with Pakistan and intends to continue doing so. “This individual should not be in the UK. He must be deported,” Cooper asserted, endorsing Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s efforts to amend laws to facilitate his removal.
When asked whether visa restrictions could be used against Pakistan if it refuses to accept Ahmed, Cooper did not confirm immediate sanctions but acknowledged that visa measures remain a tool in the government’s arsenal.
She pointed out that previous visa-related actions had successfully reduced immigration abuses involving certain nations and helped the UK secure cooperation from other countries in repatriating foreign criminals and failed asylum seekers.
While she did not disclose specifics of ongoing negotiations, Cooper emphasized that “all possible measures should be considered” to uphold Britain’s immigration policies.
She also indicated that Ahmed is not the only case under review; the UK government is seeking the return of several other offenders believed to be in Pakistan.
The UK has previously cited cases involving the Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia, and Angola, which agreed to cooperate with deportations following threats of visa penalties.
In response, Pakistan’s Foreign Office issued its first official statement on the matter.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi strongly condemned child sexual abuse but rejected any link between the Pakistani government and Ahmed’s case or his legal status.
Andrabi emphasized that all perpetrators of child abuse should be thoroughly investigated, prosecuted, and punished according to the law, regardless of race, ethnicity, or religion.
He clarified that Ahmed has spent most of his adult life in Britain, committed his crimes there, and was convicted by a British court. Therefore, Pakistan considers the case an internal UK issue.
“The Government of Pakistan has no involvement in this matter,” Andrabi stated, adding that Islamabad cannot be associated with decisions related to Ahmed’s release or his legal situation under British jurisdiction.
He further noted that, regardless of his Pakistani nationality, responsibility lies with the society in which Ahmed was raised, describing his crimes as a matter for Britain to reflect upon internally.
He suggested that Britain needs to undertake serious introspection rather than shifting responsibility abroad.
The UK maintains that Ahmed should be deported after being stripped of his British citizenship. Conversely, Pakistan has publicly declared him a British national and insists that decisions regarding his legal status are solely a British matter.
Ahmed, 73, was sentenced in 2012 to 22 years in prison for rape and multiple sexual offenses involving vulnerable girls in Rochdale. He was released earlier this month after serving 14 years.
At the time of his crimes, he held British citizenship, which was later revoked. However, his deportation has been blocked under section 7 of the Immigration Act 1971. He also previously disavowed his Pakistani identity before his conviction.
Home Secretary Mahmood has announced plans to amend the law so that individuals convicted of serious offenses—such as child sexual exploitation, human trafficking, and threats to national security—can be stripped of their protections.
Nevertheless, even with legal changes, the UK still needs a foreign country to recognize Ahmed as its national and accept his return, a step that remains unresolved.
