Pakistan faces visa sanctions in the event that they refuse to take again Rochdale grooming gang chief
Pakistan is facing possible UK visa sanctions unless it agrees to take back Rochdale grooming gang ringleader Shabir Ahmed, 73, as ministers move to change a 1971 immigration loophole
Rochdale grooming gang leader Shabir Ahmed(Image: Greater Manchester Police/PA Wire)
Pakistan could be hit with visa sanctions if they refuse to take back paedophile Rochdale grooming gang ringleader Shabir Ahmed. The Home Secretary is due to set out changes to the law to allow for the deportation of convicted child sex offender.
Shabana Mahmood has now formally tabled the change in Parliament. On Monday evening (July 13), during the second reading of the Immigration and Asylum Bill, she introduced an amendment that would give her the power to disapply Section 7 of the Immigration Act 1971 for serious criminals.
In her Commons speech, Mahmood directly named Rochdale grooming gang leader Shabir Ahmed, saying the 1971 law “clearly should not be acting as a bar against removal in cases like that of Shabir Ahmed”.
The President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari(Image: Corbis via Getty Images)
The Home Office said the change would also cover other high harm foreign national offenders, including convicted terrorists, human traffickers and dangerous violent criminals.
However, Mahmood warned that closing the legal loophole at home does not guarantee immediate deportation, because the UK still needs Pakistan to accept Ahmed back, with visa penalties among the options being discussed to increase pressure.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Victims minister Catherine Atkinson, appeared to suggest the Home Secretary would pile pressure on Pakistan in the form of visa penalties.
She said: “She has been absolutely clear that this Government will take action to see Shabir Ahmed removed, and we’ve seen the success that she has had when it comes to removals in previous cases.
“I think she threatened visa penalties for Angola, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo unless they took back illegal immigrants. And four months later, all three were co-operating.” While, shadow home secretary Chris Philp said of Pakistan on the same show: “If they don’t take him back, we can say: well, we’re simply going to stop or restrict issuing visas to people from Pakistan to come here.
Rochdale(Image: Steve Allen)
“That, by the way, should apply to any country around the world who doesn’t take back its own citizens who are criminals or here illegally.” Government boffins reckon it is unlikely Pakistan will take back the 73-year-old child abuser unless forced to do so by hardline sanctions.
Ahmed was released on July 2 after serving 14 years since his conviction in 2012 for rape and sexual offences against girls, some as young as 12. He had been sentenced to 19 years in prison. Officials have been examining ways to deport him since his release last week.
The 1971 law initially forbids the removal of a small group of Commonwealth citizens who arrived in the UK more than 50 years ago. The Asian country is reportedly demanding the extradition of two political dissidents from the UK in order to do so.
Downing Street said last week the UK was “exploring every available option” including speaking to Pakistani authorities. Sir Keir Starmer’s official spokesman said: “Any removal requires co-operation from another country to accept an individual back.
“Previous governments have experienced similar challenges in other grooming gang cases.”
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.
