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On Monday, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is set to announce the legal measures she will pursue to deport Shabir Ahmed, the former leader of a Rochdale grooming gang who was recently released from prison. Ahmed served a 22-year sentence after being convicted in 2012 of numerous child sexual offences, including rape. His release on licence earlier this month has reignited demands across political lines for his deportation. Despite having his British citizenship revoked following his conviction, Ahmed cannot currently be deported because of a 1971 Immigration Act that protects certain Commonwealth citizens who arrived in the UK over 50 years ago.
Ahmed, who holds only Pakistani nationality after losing his British citizenship, remains in the UK under strict conditions. Upon release, he was placed in accommodation with 24-hour supervision and fitted with an electronically monitored GPS tag. If he violates his licence terms, the government has stated he will be returned to prison. Several victims have expressed feeling “frightened” and “unsafe” by his release. The government has explained that the 1971 legislation prevents his deportation, as it bars removal of Commonwealth citizens who entered the UK before 1973 and had resided there for at least five years, which includes Ahmed.
There remains uncertainty over how Mahmood intends to amend the law to allow for Ahmed’s deportation, and the process might take up to a year according to government sources. Complicating matters is Pakistan’s apparent refusal to accept Ahmed, who claims to have renounced his Pakistani citizenship. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp suggested imposing sanctions on Pakistan if it refuses to cooperate. Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said, “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. 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.”
The Conservative Party is advocating for emergency legislation or an amendment to the current immigration bill, arguing that changing the 1971 Act would take too long. Philp stated that emergency legislation could enable a law change “in a matter of weeks.” Victims Minister Catherine Atkinson told BBC Breakfast that the government does not rule out using such emergency powers and is committed to resolving the issue. She highlighted Mahmood’s proven track record in repatriations, referencing past instances where visa sanctions were threatened to ensure the return of foreign offenders, including cases involving Angola, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer’s team has confirmed exploring all options, which include discussions with Pakistani authorities. Mahmood’s announcement comes shortly after survivors of grooming gangs called for measures to prevent sex offenders from being released early
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