Shabir Ahmed, the ringleader of a Rochdale grooming gang who abused girls as young as 12, was released from prison this week after serving a sentence for multiple counts of rape and sexual offences. His victims said they were “frightened” by his release and felt “unsafe”, but despite being stripped of his British citizenship, Ahmed cannot be deported to Pakistan due to a 55-year-old law under the Immigration Act 1971 that bars removal of Commonwealth citizens who arrived before 1973 and have lived in the UK for five years. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has asked the home secretary to review the case, and the government is in talks with Pakistani authorities about deportation. A No 10 spokesperson said: “We have raised this issue with our counterparts in Islamabad and we are committed to doing everything possible to deport foreign national offenders.” However, the spokesperson acknowledged it is “clearly a complex case with implications beyond this specific incident”, as deportation requires the receiving country’s agreement – which has not always been possible. The UK government is considering amending the Immigration and Asylum Bill currently before Parliament to change the 1971 law, but even if legislative hurdles are cleared, securing Pakistan’s co-operation remains a diplomatic challenge. Ahmed, who arrived from Pakistan in the late 1960s, is now in 24-hour staffed accommodation wearing a GPS tag, with strict licence conditions; any breach would return him to prison immediately.
Separately, dozens of MPs have urged the foreign secretary to impose sanctions on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his justice minister over alleged “torture” of Palestinian civilians. The call adds to the government’s foreign policy challenges as it navigates international legal obligations and diplomatic relations.
“UK government urgently seeks to deport grooming gang leader Shabir Ahmed while facing calls to sanction Netanyahu”