Pakistan has rejected calls to accept the deportation of convicted child sex offender Shabir Ahmed, insisting that responsibility for the former Rochdale grooming gang leader rests with the United Kingdom, where he spent most of his adult life and committed his crimes.
The response follows renewed efforts by the UK government to deport Ahmed, who is also known as “Daddy,” after his release from prison earlier this month.
He had served 14 years of a 22-year prison sentence for multiple child rape convictions linked to one of Britain’s most notorious child sexual exploitation cases.
Pakistan says responsibility lies with Britain
In an official statement, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Ahmed’s crimes were committed entirely within the United Kingdom and remain a matter for British authorities.
He said Ahmed lived virtually his entire adult life in Britain, was prosecuted under British law, and was convicted by a British court for offenses committed on British soil.
According to the Foreign Office, any decision regarding his release, monitoring, immigration status, or deportation falls exclusively within the jurisdiction of UK authorities.
Pakistan also stressed that it has no legal or administrative role in decisions concerning Ahmed’s future under British law.
Foreign Office issues strong response
The Foreign Office delivered one of its strongest public responses since the issue emerged.
Andrabi said responsibility rests with the country where Ahmed “grew up, was raised, groomed and, unfortunately, spoiled.”
He urged British authorities to examine the social and institutional failures that enabled the crimes instead of attempting to shift responsibility elsewhere.
The spokesperson added that Pakistan has “no connection whatsoever” with the criminal case and should not be linked to Britain’s handling of a convicted offender.
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UK pushes ahead with deportation plans
The dispute intensified after UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced plans to amend long-standing immigration legislation that currently prevents Ahmed’s deportation despite his British citizenship having been revoked.
British authorities argue Ahmed remains eligible for removal to Pakistan and dispute claims that he legally renounced his Pakistani nationality.
The proposed legal changes are part of wider efforts by the UK government to remove foreign-born offenders convicted of serious crimes.
Diplomatic tensions continue
The disagreement has added fresh strain to diplomatic relations between Islamabad and London.
Earlier this week, British officials signaled they could consider visa restrictions if Pakistan refuses to accept Ahmed’s return, saying all available options remain under review.
Reports indicate that officials from both countries have been discussing Ahmed’s deportation for nearly a year, along with the possible removal of two other convicted members of the Rochdale grooming gang.
Background
Ahmed, now 73, was convicted of leading one of Britain’s most infamous child sexual exploitation networks. Prosecutors said he repeatedly abused vulnerable girls, some as young as 12, over several years.
His case became one of the defining scandals in Britain’s response to organized child sexual exploitation and has continued to influence debates over immigration, citizenship, criminal justice, and deportation policies.
What happens next
The UK government is expected to continue pursuing legislative changes that could enable Ahmed’s deportation. However, Pakistan’s latest statement signals that Islamabad does not accept responsibility for receiving him, making the case both a legal and diplomatic challenge that could further affect relations between the two countries.
