UK MP Rupert Lowe Demands Strict Pakistan Sanctions Over Convicted Groomer Stance

Lowe, the Reform UK MP for Great Yarmouth, has written to Foreign Secretary David Lammy urging the government to impose targeted sanctions on Pakistan unless it accepts the return of convicted child abusers who hold Pakistani nationality.

Ahmed, 71, was part of a gang that sexually exploited vulnerable girls in Rochdale. He was stripped of his British citizenship in 2021, but a clause in the Immigration Act protecting Commonwealth citizens who arrived before 1973 has so far prevented his removal.

The MP's proposal includes freezing assets and restricting visas for Pakistani officials if Islamabad continues to refuse cooperation on deportation cases. He argues that Pakistan's stance undermines UK efforts to protect children and enforce justice.

Lowe's intervention follows growing public anger over the case, with campaigners saying the loophole has left victims feeling betrayed. The Home Office has not yet commented on the sanctions proposal, but a spokesperson earlier said the government is 'committed to closing legal gaps that allow foreign nationals to evade deportation.'

The move comes as the UK reviews its immigration and deportation policies, with several other cases of convicted offenders from Commonwealth countries facing similar legal obstacles.