Pakistan refuses to take back Rochdale grooming gang leader Shabir Ahmed

Pakistan told UK ministers it has no legal mechanism to accept convicted child rapist Shabir Ahmed. Ahmed, 73, is costing the Ministry of Justice thousands in supervision costs.

Pakistan rejects UK request to repatriate Rochdale grooming gang leader

Pakistan has told British ministers it lacks any legal mechanism to accept the return of Shabir Ahmed, the convicted leader of the Rochdale grooming gang, the Daily Express reports. The refusal came during a meeting on Thursday between Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband and Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar.

Ahmed, 73, who was born in Pakistan and arrived in the UK in the late 1960s, served 14 years of a 22-year prison sentence after being convicted of 30 child rape offences. He was one of nine men from Rochdale and Oldham found guilty of exploiting, abusing and raping girls as young as 12 at two takeaway restaurants.

Pakistani officials told the British side that "we currently do not have any legislation or formal mechanism under which we can take him back", according to sources briefed on the discussions. Dar indicated there was no legal statute requiring the transfer of convicted sex offenders such as Ahmed, and noted there is "no treaty between the UK and Pakistan to exchange or extradite sex convicts", a source told The Telegraph.

Ahmed was stripped of his British citizenship following his conviction, but a 1971 law has so far prevented his deportation. That legislation bans the removal of a small group of Commonwealth citizens who arrived in the UK more than 50 years ago. The Home Office has described the act as one that "protected many individuals caught up in the Windrush crisis", but Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced her intention to close that loophole through new immigration legislation.

While in limbo, Ahmed is understood to be costing the Ministry of Justice thousands of pounds through accommodation, electronic tagging and round-the-clock supervision at a bail hostel.

Pakistani officials have reportedly agreed to consider the British request following Miliband's repeated interventions, but have also asked for a reciprocal understanding from the UK. Pakistan has previously requested that, in exchange for Ahmed, Britain hand over dissidents — individuals who have criticised Pakistan's government or policies. Dar did not address those specific concerns publicly during Thursday's meeting.

A joint statement issued after the talks said the two sides "reviewed the full spectrum of Pakistan-United Kingdom bilateral relations and agreed to establish a structured mechanism for formal talks between the two foreign ministries to cover all areas of co-operation". The statement made no direct reference to Ahmed's case.

Pakistan had previously warned it could halt cooperation on the return of illegal migrants should Britain attempt to deport Ahmed unilaterally. Officials in Islamabad are also said to be angered by suggestions that London could impose sanctions — including visa bans and cuts to foreign aid — as leverage in the standoff.

Source: Daily Express