UK to change law in bid to deport Rochdale grooming gang ringleader Shabir Ahmed

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