Pakistan has rejected pressure from the United Kingdom to repatriate Shabir Ahmed, a former leader of a Rochdale grooming gang, according to a senior official in Pakistan’s interior ministry. The official emphasized that Pakistan would not be coerced through threats such as visa restrictions or cuts to foreign aid, underscoring the country's status as a sovereign nation.
Ahmed, who arrived in the UK from Pakistan in 1967 at the age of 14, was released from prison earlier this month and currently resides in northern England. His deportation has been complicated by a provision in the UK’s Immigration Act 1971, which prevents deporting Commonwealth migrants who arrived before 1973 and have lived in the UK for at least five years. In response, UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced plans to amend the law to close this loophole.
British authorities are reportedly considering various options to compel Pakistan’s cooperation, including stopping visa issuances to Pakistani nationals, imposing financial sanctions, or withholding part of the approximately £50 million in annual foreign aid Britain provides to Pakistan. Conversely, officials have also explored more collaborative measures, such as offering additional aid or investment incentives as part of negotiation efforts. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper stated that all possible measures are being examined to resolve the issue.
However, the interior ministry official in Islamabad dismissed the notion that aid could be wielded as leverage, noting that the funds do not flow directly to the Pakistani government. The official also noted that Pakistan has formally communicated through diplomatic channels that Ahmed has spent the majority of his life in the UK and has renounced Pakistani citizenship, leading Islamabad to reject responsibility for his return.
Experts suggest that behind-the-scenes negotiations may be occurring. Dr. Farzana Shaikh of the Chatham House think tank indicated that Pakistan might be seeking the return of two dissidents residing in the UK—Shahzad Akbar, a former cabinet minister under Imran Khan, and Adil Raja, a journalist and former military officer—in exchange for Ahmed’s repatriation. Both men face allegations in Pakistan of disseminating false information and anti-government propaganda.
Shaikh critiqued the UK’s stance, characterizing efforts to force Ahmed’s return as rooted in what she called “arrogance” and a “colonial mindset.” Meanwhile, UK sources suggest it is “highly unlikely” that regional authorities under Mayor Andy Burnham would agree to such an exchange involving political dissidents.
The UK government’s efforts to repatriate Ahmed follow unsuccessful attempts to deport two other grooming gang leaders who were issued removal orders in 2020 but have also remained in Britain due to Pakistan’s refusal to accept them.