Pakistan has blamed Britain for turning the Rochdale grooming gang ringleader to a life of crime.
Tahir Andrabi, Pakistan’s foreign office spokesman, pointed the finger at the UK for Shabir Ahmed’s crimes because he “grew up, was raised, groomed and, unfortunately, spoiled” in Britain.
He said the onus was “exclusively” on Britain, declaring publicly for the first time that Pakistan would not be taking back the 73-year-old paedophile, despite him being born there.
The Home Office is attempting to deport the Rochdale grooming gang ringleader who was released from prison on July 2, after serving 14 years of a 22-year sentence.
He was convicted in 2012 for 30 sexual offences, including child rape, with some instances involving girls as young as 12.
Mr Andrabi said in a statement today: “His heinous crimes demand serious introspection rather than a quest to search for extraneous causes.”
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced on Monday she would change immigration laws to close a loophole which currently prevents the paedophile’s deportation.
The 1971 Immigration Act currently forbids the removal of Commonwealth citizens who arrived in the UK before 1973.
Tahir Andrabi said Ahmed’s crimes ‘demand serious introspection rather than a quest to search for extraneous causes’
| MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS / GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN
She said in the Commons: “On the subject of deporting foreign criminals, the Government intends to bring forward an amendment to this Bill in response to the widely reported case of the vile women 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.
“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.
“The threshold for this power would be tied to the power to deprive citizenship, which applies only in cases of exceptional severity.”
She caveated her statement by saying this may not guarantee Ahmed’s removal from the UK, despite him having his British citizenship removed.
Pakistan also claim to have renounced the paedophile’s citizenship, however, Britain disputes this.
Mr Andrabi continued: “Pakistan condemns the incident of child sexual abuse in the strongest possible terms. Perpetrators of such heinous crimes must be investigated, prosecuted, and punished to the fullest extent of the law, irrespective of race, ethnicity, or religion.
“The matter in question is entirely an internal matter of the United Kingdom. The individual concerned is a British national who spent his entire adult life in the UK and was duly convicted by a British court for reprehensible offences committed on British soil.
The UK and Pakistan have been in discussions over Ahmed’s deportation for over a year, it is understood
| PA
“Any decision regarding his release, supervision, or future legal status falls exclusively within the jurisdiction of the competent British authorities and must be dealt with in accordance with the laws of the United Kingdom.
“Regardless of where he was born, the onus lies on where he grew up, was raised, groomed, and, unfortunately, spoiled. His heinous crimes demand serious introspection rather than a quest to search for extraneous causes.
“Let me add that the Government of Pakistan has no connection whatsoever with this matter. We cannot be associated with any decisions relating to the individual’s release or subsequent treatment under British law.”
The UK and Pakistan have been in talks over Ahmed’s deportation for over a year, the Telegraph reports.
Discussions over two other grooming gang ringleaders are also in play between the two nations.
They have also sought to avoid being returned to their birth country by renouncing their citizenship.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper signalled the UK might impose visa sanctions on Pakistan if they refuse to take back Ahmed.
She said the Government will consider using “all possible levers”.
Ahmed has been relocated after his location was revealed on social media.
He remains on tag, with a geographical exclusion zone from Oldham and Rochdale, living in 24/7 supervised accommodation.
The Government said: “This vile man should not be in the UK.
“Removing him requires Pakistan to accept him. We are doing everything we can to deport him and we are still in talks with Pakistan.”
