British ministers are considering implementing visa restrictions and other sanctions against Pakistan if the country's government does not agree to accept the return of Shabir Ahmed, a convicted grooming gang ringleader.
Sources within the government have indicated that all options are being evaluated to ensure Ahmed's deportation. These measures could include financial sanctions or the withholding of foreign aid, in addition to the potential visa sanctions. The move comes amid pressure from political figures, including Nigel Farage and Andy Burnham, who are urging the government to take all necessary steps to remove Ahmed from the United Kingdom.
Shabir Ahmed was released from HMP Leeds on Thursday after serving 14 years of a 22-year sentence for 30 child rape offenses. He settled in the UK in 1967 as a 14-year-old, which currently makes him ineligible for deportation under the 1971 Immigration Act, a piece of legislation Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is reportedly determined to see changed.
Government sources stated that ministers are examining all available avenues to secure Ahmed's removal, citing "obstinance from the Pakistani government." One Whitehall source told The Times that while changing the law to address the 1971 Immigration Act is considered possible, the primary obstacle lies in diplomatic relations with Pakistan. "It's our relations with the Pakistani government where we're going to come unstuck," the source said, adding that the Pakistani government has been uncooperative in previous similar cases.
Visa sanctions are technically among the options being considered, but they are viewed as a last resort. Any such reprisals would require leadership from the Foreign Office, headed by Yvette Cooper. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has advocated for suspending all visas for Pakistani nationals until Ahmed is accepted back, proposing that this action would compel the Pakistani government to cooperate within hours. Farage also suggested repealing Section 7 of the Immigration Act 1971 to allow for the deportation of foreign perpetrators of rape gangs.
A spokesperson for 10 Downing Street confirmed that the issue has been raised with counterparts in Islamabad, stating, "We are committed to doing everything possible to deport foreign national offenders, and we're clear that they should have no place in this country."