LONDON: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has directed the home secretary to review the case of Shabir Ahmed, the convicted ringleader of the Rochdale grooming gang, amid growing political calls for changes to immigration law that could allow his deportation.
Ahmed, 73, was released from prison on Thursday after serving 14 years of a 19-year sentence imposed in 2012 for multiple rape and sexual offences against young girls. He has reportedly been released on licence and is subject to strict conditions, including electronic GPS monitoring, residence at a supervised bail hostel and exclusion zones preventing him from entering parts of Rochdale.
Downing Street described Ahmed’s crimes as “particularly heinous” and said the prime minister had asked Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to examine all available legal options to facilitate his removal from the United Kingdom.
In a statement, the government said it remained committed to removing foreign nationals who commit serious offences in the UK wherever legally possible.
Why can’t Ahmed be deported?
Ahmed arrived in the United Kingdom from Gujarat, Pakistan, in the late 1970s and later became a British citizen. Although his British citizenship has since been revoked, he cannot currently be deported because of protections under the Immigration Act 1971, which prevent the removal of certain Commonwealth citizens who settled in Britain more than 50 years ago.
His release has prompted renewed calls from politicians to amend the law. Rochdale Labour MP Paul Waugh urged the government to pursue every available option to secure Ahmed’s deportation, while Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said her party would seek amendments to the Immigration and Asylum Bill to remove what she described as a legal loophole.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham also called on ministers to review all possible legal avenues to enable Ahmed’s removal.
What is Pakistan’s position?
A senior Pakistani government official told Geo News that Ahmed is not recognised as a Pakistani national, saying he relinquished his Pakistani nationality decades ago after acquiring British citizenship.
The official said Ahmed no longer holds Pakistani citizenship and is therefore regarded as a stateless individual from Pakistan’s perspective.
Ahmed was one of nine men convicted at Liverpool Crown Court in 2012 for sexually exploiting five teenage girls as part of the Rochdale grooming gang case.