A diplomatic row has erupted over efforts to deport Rochdale grooming gang ringleader Shabir Ahmed, with Pakistan insisting that Britain must address its own extradition requests for political dissidents before any agreement is reached. A senior Pakistani government official described British pressure as 'arrogance' and a 'colonial mindset', stating that 'arrogance is not acceptable to us'.
The 73-year-old child rapist was released from prison last week after serving 14 years of a 22-year sentence for 30 child rape offences. Although stripped of his British citizenship, Ahmed remains in the UK because legal and diplomatic barriers have prevented his deportation.
Pakistan's Demands and Concerns
While UK ministers explore changing British law to facilitate Ahmed's removal, Pakistan has made clear it expects a response to long-standing concerns over political figures living in Britain. The senior official told The Telegraph that Islamabad would not accept 'arm-twisting' over Ahmed's case, insisting both countries' priorities must be treated equally.
Among the figures Pakistan seeks to extradite are London-based political figure Altaf Hussain, former minister Shahzad Akbar, and journalist and former military officer Adil Raja. 'There are people using British soil to destabilise Pakistan, in violation of several British laws, but the UK has done absolutely nothing about them,' the official said.
Legal Obstacles and Diplomatic Stalemate
Current UK legislation protects certain Commonwealth citizens who arrived in Britain before 1973 and have lived in the country for at least five years, creating one obstacle to Ahmed's removal. A second challenge is Pakistan's refusal to accept Ahmed, who it says is no longer a citizen after allegedly renouncing his Pakistani nationality. Two other convicted Rochdale grooming gang members are also caught up in the dispute.
Despite the impasse, the official indicated Pakistan remained willing to negotiate, saying the government was prepared to think 'out of the box' and 'beyond normal procedures' if discussions progressed. The official alleged Britain had threatened visa restrictions and reductions in overseas aid if Pakistan continued to resist Ahmed's return.
UK Government Response
Meanwhile, the UK Government continues to explore options to remove Ahmed from Britain. Ministers have not ruled out emergency legislation to amend the Immigration Act 1971, while visa sanctions against Pakistan remain under consideration, although they are understood to be a measure of last resort if diplomatic efforts fail.
'These demands are being made about somebody who is now around 75 and who has spent more than 60 years in your country. How is he our national when he is actually not our national? This is arrogance and a colonial mindset. It is unacceptable to us,' the official said.
