Shabana Mahmood is determined to exhaust all possible means to deport a notorious leader of a grooming gang, emphasizing a commitment to altering legislation to overcome a significant barrier.
The Home Secretary is actively pursuing the removal of Shabir Ahmed, who was released on July 2 following a 14-year sentence for multiple counts of rape and sexual offenses against underage girls, some as young as 12. In 2012, he was sentenced to 19 years in prison.
Speaking in the Commons, Ms. Mahmood announced plans to amend the Immigration and Asylum Bill currently progressing through Parliament to eliminate a 55-year-old law that hinders the expulsion of criminals like Ahmed from the UK. She emphasized that the amendment aims to grant the Home Secretary new powers under section seven of the Immigration Act 1971 in cases involving serious criminals, such as Shabir Ahmed. This adjustment would align the threshold for this authority with the capability to revoke citizenship, which is reserved for cases of exceptional severity.
Despite potential legal changes, the ability to deport Ahmed remains dependent on Pakistan’s willingness to accept his return. As of now, Islamabad has shown reluctance to cooperate in this matter.
Emphasizing the challenges, Ms. Mahmood acknowledged that altering the law does not guarantee Ahmed’s removal from the country. She reiterated the dedication of the Government to pursuing deportation through all possible channels to deliver justice for the victims and survivors impacted by the actions of this criminal.
An obstacle to Ahmed’s removal lies in a 1971 statute, Section 7 of the Immigration Act, which prohibits the deportation of Commonwealth citizens who arrived in the UK over 50 years ago. Justice Minister Catherine Atkinson highlighted the effectiveness of visa restrictions in compelling cooperation from countries in the past.
The Prime Minister’s spokesperson underlined that legislative adjustments represent just the initial phase in the process of deporting Ahmed, stressing the necessity for the country of origin to consent to receiving such individuals back, prompting a comprehensive exploration of all available options by the government.
Reports suggest that the Pakistani government is requesting the extradition of two political dissidents from the UK as part of negotiations concerning Ahmed’s deportation.