UK & ISLAMABAD – (Special Correspondent/Web Desk) – The Shabir Ahmed Pakistan deportation dispute has turned into a serious diplomatic standoff between London and Islamabad. Britain is now considering visa restrictions on Pakistan if it refuses to take back the convicted Rochdale grooming gang ringleader.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told a UK parliamentary committee that her government is ready to use “all possible levers” to push countries into accepting deported offenders. She made it clear that Ahmed should not remain in the UK.
Cooper backed Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s plan to change British law so Ahmed can be removed more easily. She said visa measures have worked before, pointing to Congo, Namibia, and Angola, which agreed to accept deportees after similar UK pressure.
The foreign secretary did not confirm any immediate action against Pakistan. But she left the option open, saying confidential talks with governments were still underway. She also revealed that Ahmed is not the only case Britain wants resolved.
Pakistan has now responded publicly for the first time. Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi firmly rejected any link between the Pakistani state and Ahmed’s crimes or his release. He said the case is entirely a British matter.
Andrabi stressed that Ahmed committed his offences in Britain, was convicted by a British court, and had lived his adult life there. He added that Ahmed had renounced his Pakistani identity nearly fourteen years ago, well before his conviction.
According to Andrabi, responsibility lies with the society that raised Ahmed, not with his country of birth. He called for introspection within Britain rather than efforts to shift blame elsewhere.
Ahmed, now 73, was sentenced to 22 years in prison in 2012 for rape and other serious sexual offences against vulnerable girls in Rochdale. He was released this month after serving 14 years of his sentence.
Although Ahmed lost his British citizenship, a legal provision under the Immigration Act 1971 has so far blocked his deportation. The UK government is working to remove this protection for people convicted of serious crimes like his.
Even if the law changes, Britain still needs another country willing to accept Ahmed as a citizen. Since Pakistan denies any connection to him, his future status remains uncertain.
This case has placed pressure on UK-Pakistan relations at a sensitive time. Analysts believe the dispute could influence how both countries handle future deportation and immigration matters.
For now, neither side shows signs of backing down. Britain continues to push for Ahmed’s removal, while Pakistan insists it holds no legal or moral responsibility for his case.
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