Key Takeaways
- The UK plans to deport Shabir Ahmed, the ringleader of the Rochdale grooming gang.
- Ahmed's deportation is currently held up due to a 1971 law preventing Commonwealth citizens' deportation.
- Pakistan has stated it has no involvement in the matter and will not accept him back.
The UK government is set to deport Shabir Ahmed, the ringleader of the notorious Rochdale grooming gang, according to a statement from the Foreign Office. Ahmed was one of nine men found guilty of exploiting young girls at takeaway restaurants in Rochdale and Oldham.
Ahmed's case has garnered significant attention following his recent release from prison. Home Minister Shabana Mahmood has indicated plans to amend the 1971 law that currently prevents his deportation, but the process remains uncertain. The amendment aims to remove protections for foreign criminals convicted of serious crimes in the UK.
According to a Foreign Office spokesperson, Tahir Andrabi, any decision regarding Ahmed's release or subsequent treatment under British law is an internal matter and not related to Pakistan. 'The government of Pakistan has no connection whatsoever with this matter,' he stated during an interview with the BBC.
Ahmed had dual British-Pakistani citizenship before his UK passport was stripped following his 2012 conviction for multiple counts of rape and sexual offences against girls, aged as young as 13. His case highlights the complex legal challenges faced by authorities in dealing with foreign criminals who have spent their entire adult lives in the UK.
The Foreign Office spokesperson emphasized that Ahmed's 'heinous crimes demand serious introspection rather than the quest to search for extraneous causes.' He further stated, 'Any decision regarding his release, supervision of usual legal status, falls exclusively within the jurisdiction of the competent British authorities and must be dealt with in accordance with the laws of the United Kingdom.'
Despite calls from politicians such as Andy Burnham, who described Ahmed as a 'vile criminal' and called for his deportation, the process remains stalled. The amendment to the law is seen as crucial for resolving this issue, but it will require Pakistan's cooperation in accepting Ahmed back.
The case of Shabir Ahmed serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by UK authorities in dealing with foreign criminals who have integrated into British society. While the government seeks to address these issues through legal reforms, the involvement of multiple countries and complex legal frameworks complicates the process.
'The individual concerned is a British national who spent his entire adult life in the UK and was duly convicted by a British court for reprehensible offences committed on British soil.'
Tahir Andrabi, Foreign Office spokesperson, Foreign Office spokesperson
