Pakistan seeks extradition of political dissidents from the UK in exchange for child rapist with 30 offences

Pakistan has set a list of demands for the UK, including the extradition of political dissidents, if the latter wants to deport Shabir Ahmed, the ringleader of the Rochdale grooming gang. The Pakistan-born child rapist, as part of the Rochdale grooming gang, was known as “Daddy” to his victims. He lured girls with alcohol and drugs before treating them like sex slaves. According to The Telegraph, 73-year-old Ahmed was released from prison last week after serving 14 years of a 22-year sentence for 30 child rape offences. Despite the UK government revoking his British citizenship, he cannot be deported to Islamabad because the Immigration Act 1971 protects Commonwealth citizens who arrived in Britain before 1973 and have lived in the country for at least five years. Citing a senior Pakistani official, the report added that Britain must “respect the issues that matter” to Islamabad rather than resorting to “arm-twisting” and threats to return Ahmed, a child rapist, to Pakistan. Islamabad has refused to take back Ahmed, along with two other ringleaders of the Rochdale grooming gang, stating that the accused claim they are not Pakistani, having renounced their citizenship. The official, however, added that Islamabad was ready to think "out of the box" and "beyond normal procedures" to facilitate Ahmed's possible return to Pakistan. The official noted that the UK and Pakistan have been negotiating over Ahmed and other grooming gang members for nearly a year in anticipation of his release. He said, "Our position is that they [the UK] must listen to us too. Both sides need to apply standards. Pakistan cannot be railroaded into agreeing to terms and conditions that are suitable only to the UK." He further said, "The UK knows what our demands are. We have made our demands and concerns categorically clear to the UK. Some people in the UK are only playing media games. They are not being honest." The official also accused the UK government of threatening Pakistan with visa restrictions and reducing overseas aid, both publicly and privately, if the latter refused Ahmed's deportation. He added, "These demands are being made about somebody who is now around 75 and who has spent more than 60 years in your country. How is he our national when he is actually not our national? This is arrogance and a colonial mindset. It is unacceptable to us." According to the report, Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secretary, is considering repealing the sections of the Immigration Act 1971 that prohibit Ahmed's deportation to Islamabad. The decision to repeal the sections could come as soon as 13 July. Nazir Afzal, who helped jail Shabir Ahmed when he was the chief crown prosecutor, noted, "The Home Secretary is fixing the bit that she can fix. The reality, of course, is this is a diplomatic matter. There will undoubtedly also be human rights challenges." Afzal further said, "But that’s not, I think, a big issue because Parliament can explicitly exclude the application of human rights, as they did with the Rwanda Bill, for example. The answer relies on diplomacy, not legislation." The Telegraph reported that Islamabad has sought the extradition of political dissidents, including Shahzad Akbar, a member of former prime minister Imran Khan’s cabinet, and Adil Raja, a Pakistani journalist and former military officer, for alleged disinformation and anti-state propaganda. It has also asked the UK to hand over Altaf Hussain, the London-based founder of the Muttahida Qaumi opposition movement, who has been living in exile in the UK for 30 years. Negotiations have reached an impasse because the UK has refused to extradite political dissidents, arguing that doing so could expose them to persecution and breach their human rights. Swati Gandhi is a digital journalist with over four years of experience, specialising in international and geopolitical issues. Her work focuses on foreign policy, global power shifts, and the political and economic forces shaping international relations, with a particular emphasis on how global developments affect India. She approaches journalism with a strong belief in context-driven reporting, aiming to break down complex global events into clear, accessible narratives for a wide readership.<br><br> Previously, Swati has worked at Business Standard, where she covered a range of beats including national affairs, politics, and business. This diverse newsroom experience helped her build a strong grounding in reporting, while also strengthening her ability to work across both breaking news and in-depth explanatory stories. Covering multiple beats early in her career has helped her be informed about her current work, allowing her to connect domestic developments with wider international trends.<br><br> At Live Mint, she focuses on international and geopolitical issues through a business and economic lens, examining how global political developments, foreign policy decisions, and power shifts impact markets, industries, and India’s strategic and economic interests.<br><br> She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English (Honours) from the University of Delhi and a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. Her academic training has shaped her emphasis on precision, analytical rigour, and clarity in writing. Her interests include global political economy and the intersection of geopolitics with business.<br><br> Outside work, Swati focuses on exploring her passion and love for food. From fancy cafes to street spots, Swati explores food like a true foodie. 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