Rochdale grooming gang leader Shabir Ahmed released as UK weighs law changes to enable deportation

The leader of Rochdale's grooming gang was recently released from prison. The government is looking into a way to deport him

BRITAIN’S plans to deport the ringleader of the Rochdale grooming gang are “entirely an internal matter of the United Kingdom” and have “no connection whatsoever” with Pakistan, the Foreign Office spokesperson told the BBC. Calls have mounted for Shabir Ahmed’s deportation following his recent release from prison, but has been held up due to a law from 1971 that bars the deportation of Commonwealth citizens. Ahmed, who came to the UK in the late 1960s, was one of nine men from Rochdale and Oldham found guilty of exploiting girls as young as 13 at two takeaway restaurants. According to the BBC, he had dual British-Pakistani citizenship before being stripped of his UK passport following his 2012 conviction for multiple counts of rape and sexual offences against girls. Andy Burnham, who is set to replace Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister next, has described Ahmed as a “vile criminal” who he wants deported. Although Home Minis­ter Shabana Mahmood has indicated plans to amend the law, it appears that Ahmed’s removal from the UK hinges on Pakistan accepting him back. Under the UK government’s proposed amendment, foreign criminals would no longer benefit from such protections when they are found guilty of certain serious crimes. According to FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi, the ringleader’s “heinous crimes demand serious introspection rather than the quest to search for extraneous causes”. “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. “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,” he said. “The government of Pakistan has no connection whatsoever with this matter. We cannot be associated with any decisions relating to the individual’s release or subsequent treatment under the British law,” Andrabi told the BBC. Published in Dawn, July 17th, 2026

The address of the place Shabir Ahmed was staying after being released from prison was revealed

LONDON: UK Home Minister Shabana Mahmood announced plans on Monday to change British law to allow a convicted paedophile, who led a so-called grooming gang, to be deported following his release from prison. Shabir Ahmed was jailed in 2012 for 22 years for multiple child sexual offences including rape when he was the ringleader of a gang of similarly predatory men targeting girls in Rochdale, northern England. He left prison on licence earlier this month under the country’s early release programme. Calls have mounted for the deportation of Shabir Ahmed, who held dual British-Pakistani citizenship before being stripped of the former following his 2012 conviction for multiple counts of child sexual offences. Immigration laws had prevented the deportation of Commonwealth nationals who arrived in UK before 1973 But a 1971 immigration law has prevented his deportation, as it prohibits the removal of Commonwealth nationals who, like Ahmed, arrived in Britain before 1973. Announcing the law would be changed through an amendment to the Immigration and Asylum Bill working its way through parliament, Mahmood told MPs it would ensure “the vilest foreign criminals” can be deported. “In response to the widely reported case of the vile grooming gang leader, Shabir Ahmed, our amendment will provide the Home Secretary with a new power to disapply Section 7 of the Immigration Act 1971 for serious criminals,” she said. “This provides protections for long-term UK residents but, clearly, should not be acting as a bar against removal in cases like that of Shabir Ahmed.” However, Mahmood noted this does not guarantee his removal, with Pakistan required to agree to accept him back. At the moment, it appears Islamabad has no intention of accepting Ahmed, who claims to have renounced his Pakistani citizenship. She added that ministers were continuing “to explore all avenues to pursue a deportation”. Opposition parties have demanded the government pressure Pakistan to comply, arguing it should threaten to cut overseas aid and impose other penalties if it refuses. According to the BBC, it is not known how long it would take to change the law but one government source previously suggested it could potentially be up to a year. The amendment will be tabled under the government’s Immigration and Asylum Bill, currently going through Parliament, which would in effect disapply Section 7 of the 1971 Immigration Act for serious criminals. Ahmed was one of nine men from Rochdale and Oldham found guilty of exploiting girls as young as 13 at two takeaway restaurants. After leaving prison, Ahmed was sent to 24-hour staffed accommodation and fitted with a GPS electronically monitored tag. While he is in the UK, the government has said he would be returned to prison if he breaches a series of strict licence conditions. More than 100 people have been convicted of the crimes, but official reports have blamed authorities for failing to intervene for fear of being seen as racist. Prime Minister Keir Starmer last year announced a national inquiry focused on the issue, which has also attracted the attention of US billionaire Elon Musk. Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2026

Interior minister Shabana Mahmood announced plans on Monday to change UK law to allow a convicted paedophile who led a so-called grooming gang to be deported following his release from prison. Shabir Ahmed was jailed in 2012 for 22 years for multiple child sexual offences including rape when he was the ringleader of a gang of similarly predatory men targeting girls in Rochdale, northern England. He left prison on licence earlier this month under the country’s early release programme. He was...

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood admitted it 'does not guarantee his removal' because his home nation Pakistan is refusing to take him back, and MPs heard it will take a year to bring into force.