Reform UK’s Shadow Home Secretary Zia Yusuf has warned that Pakistan could face a blanket visa ban, sanctions and asset freezes if it refuses to take back Rochdale grooming-gang ringleader Shabir Ahmed and other Pakistani nationals in Britain illegally.
The warning comes after Pakistani officials suggested that cooperation with Britain could be affected if the UK government continued to demand that Ahmed be removed from the country and deported to Pakistan.
Ahmed, 73, was released from prison last month after serving 14 years of a 22-year sentence for 30 child rape offences. He was one of the nine men convicted of exploiting girls as young as 12 in Rochdale and Oldham.
Pakistan has refused to take Ahmed back, arguing that his case is a domestic British issue. This is patently ridiculous, as Yusuf pointed out: “Pakistan is threatening to ‘stop taking back’ their illegals if Britain stops demanding they take back the Rochdale Monster. Is this a joke?”
He added: “There is a huge population of Pakistanis in Britain illegally, many of whom overstay their visas and claim asylum.
They are not being deported, so this ‘threat’ is laughable.”
Home Office figures show that just 63 Pakistani criminals were deported last year, down from 263 in 2012. In 2021, that figure fell as low as 18.
Yusuf said that a Reform government would take a far tougher approach.
“As Home Secretary, I will ensure Pakistan takes back the Rochdale Monster Shabir Ahmed, and all its illegal migrants”, he said.
“If they don’t I will place a blanket ban on visas for Pakistani nationals, sanction members of their government and freeze their assets in Britain.”
The Home Office issued 138,747 entry-clearance visas to Pakistani nationals in the year to March, including 88,553 visitor visas.
Under a Reform government, foreign criminals and illegal immigrants will be swiftly detained and deported, rather than allowed to remain at the expense of the British public.
The warning comes after Pakistani officials suggested that cooperation with Britain could be affected if the UK government continued to demand that Ahmed be removed from the country and deported to Pakistan.
Ahmed, 73, was released from prison last month after serving 14 years of a 22-year sentence for 30 child rape offences. He was one of the nine men convicted of exploiting girls as young as 12 in Rochdale and Oldham.
Pakistan has refused to take Ahmed back, arguing that his case is a domestic British issue. This is patently ridiculous, as Yusuf pointed out: “Pakistan is threatening to ‘stop taking back’ their illegals if Britain stops demanding they take back the Rochdale Monster. Is this a joke?”
He added: “There is a huge population of Pakistanis in Britain illegally, many of whom overstay their visas and claim asylum.
They are not being deported, so this ‘threat’ is laughable.”
Home Office figures show that just 63 Pakistani criminals were deported last year, down from 263 in 2012. In 2021, that figure fell as low as 18.
Yusuf said that a Reform government would take a far tougher approach.
“As Home Secretary, I will ensure Pakistan takes back the Rochdale Monster Shabir Ahmed, and all its illegal migrants”, he said.
“If they don’t I will place a blanket ban on visas for Pakistani nationals, sanction members of their government and freeze their assets in Britain.”
The Home Office issued 138,747 entry-clearance visas to Pakistani nationals in the year to March, including 88,553 visitor visas.
Under a Reform government, foreign criminals and illegal immigrants will be swiftly detained and deported, rather than allowed to remain at the expense of the British public.
Picture by: Greater Manchester Police.
