ISLAMABAD: Pakistan-UK migrant returns could be disrupted if Britain forces Islamabad to accept convicted offender Shabir Ahmed, Pakistani officials told The Daily Telegraph.
Officials said the dispute could also affect cooperation on intelligence, security and organised crime. They argued that one case should not damage decades of bilateral coordination.
Ahmed was released last month after serving 14 years of a 22-year sentence for 30 child rape offences. Pakistan says he renounced Pakistani citizenship and spent most of his life in Britain.
UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has said immigration law will change to address the legal obstacle that blocked his deportation. Pakistani officials maintain there is no specific agreement requiring Islamabad to accept him.
Pakistan says it accepted 1,437 returned nationals in the year ending March 2026. That was up 24% from 1,158 in the previous 12 months.
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Failed-asylum returns rose from 279 to 486, according to figures cited by Pakistani officials. Non-asylum returns, including visa overstayers and foreign offenders, increased from 879 to 951.
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Officials also objected to reported suggestions that Britain could consider visa restrictions or aid-related measures if Pakistan continues refusing Ahmed’s return.
