Pakistan has told British ministers it cannot take back a convicted member of the Rochdale grooming gang, saying there is no legal route or bilateral mechanism to transfer him to Pakistan, according to officials briefed on talks in London.
Senior ministers involved in talks
The case was raised at a high level. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband personally asked Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, to consider accepting the man — identified in court reports as Shabir Ahmed — who was born in Pakistan but has spent most of his life in the UK.
Sources said Pakistan’s delegation told British officials:
"we currently do not have any legislation or formal mechanism under which we can take him back".The Pakistani side said it would consider the request but noted no existing statute obliges transfer of such offenders.
Conviction, citizenship and release
Ahmed, now aged 73, was one of nine men convicted for exploiting and abusing girls in the Rochdale and Oldham area. He was convicted of 30 child rape offences and received a 22‑year sentence, of which he served 14 years before being released last month.
The Home Office says he was stripped of his British citizenship. However, officials have told ministers he cannot currently be removed because of a 1971 law that prevents the deportation of a small group of Commonwealth citizens who arrived in the UK more than 50 years ago — a statute originally cited as protection for people affected by the Windrush scandal.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has said she will move to change the immigration law to close the loophole that has prevented Ahmed’s deportation. Meanwhile the Ministry of Justice is meeting the costs associated with his accommodation, electronic monitoring and security, which sources say run to thousands of pounds.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Shabir Ahmed |
| Age | 73 |
| Convictions | 30 child rape offences |
| Sentence | 22 years (served 14 years) |
| Citizenship | Born in Pakistan; stripped of British citizenship |
| Current supervision | Subject to electronic tagging and geographical exclusion zones |
Local impact and political fallout
The case has put ministers under pressure from both the public and parliamentarians. For residents in Rochdale and Oldham the memory of the crimes remains raw; the man at the centre of those convictions is back in the community under strict conditions, and central government is having to fund his supervision.
Officials described the talks with Pakistan as frank but inconclusive. One account said Pakistani ministers indicated the only conceivable way to reach a transfer agreement would involve broader concessions — a suggestion reportedly including reciprocal actions on political dissidents resident in the UK — an option the UK is unlikely to accept.
- Immediate effect: the UK will seek to change domestic law to allow deportation.
- Short term: Ministry of Justice pays for accommodation, tagging and security while legal changes are pursued.
- Longer term: diplomatic talks may continue, but Pakistan says it currently lacks a legal framework to take the individual back.
The government’s dual track — pressing diplomatic channels while altering domestic legislation — underlines how complex cases that straddle criminal justice and immigration law can become. For people in Rochdale the story will be followed closely as ministers try to reconcile public safety, legal obligations and international relations.
Reporting on conviction details and ministerial statements remains central as the Home Office prepares legislative changes and officials assess whether any fresh bilateral mechanism can be established with Pakistan.
