The legal change follows demands from Labour and Tory MPs, and from victims, for Ahmed to be thrown out of the country.<\/p>\n
However, Ms Mahmood warned that it would not guarantee Ahmed\u2019s deportation, given Pakistan\u2019s refusal to take him back. It will also not be implemented until the bill gains Royal Assent, which the Tories claimed could delay it for up to a year.<\/p>\n
The Opposition has offered to support Labour pushing through emergency legislation to pass it into law within days.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Foreign Secretary and I continue to explore all avenues to pursue a deportation. I know the thoughts of everyone here are with the victims and survivors of this vile criminal,\u201d Ms Mahmood said.<\/p>\n
Pakistan has so far refused to take back Ahmed and two other freed ringleaders of the Rochdale grooming gang because it claims none of the three are Pakistani nationals<\/a>, having renounced their citizenships. All three have also been stripped of their British citizenships because of their crimes.<\/p>\n Britain disputes that Ahmed renounced his citizenship decades ago, as Pakistan claims, pointing to evidence that he did not go through the full and proper process to disavow his birthright.<\/p>\n Demands for dissidents<\/p>\n Another hurdle is a series of demands by the Pakistan government<\/a>, revealed by The Telegraph on Tuesday. It includes the extradition of Pakistani political dissidents from Britain who Pakistan alleges are inciting \u201chatred, violence and social unrest\u201d.<\/p>\n A senior Pakistani government official told The Telegraph: \u201cOur position is that [the UK] must listen to us too. Both sides need to apply standards. Pakistan cannot be railroaded into agreeing to terms and conditions that are suitable only to the UK.<\/p>\n \u201cThese demands [to take back Ahmed] are being made about somebody who is now around 75 and who has spent more than 60 years in your country. How is he our national when he is actually not our national? This is arrogance and a colonial mindset. It is unacceptable to us.\u201d<\/p>\n Britain would face significant human rights obstacles were it to agree to extradite dissidents who could face persecution on their return to Pakistan.<\/p>\n One of the Pakistani dissidents subject to an extradition request is Mirza Shahzad Akbar, who was a minister in the former prime minister Imran Khan\u2019s cabinet<\/a>.<\/p>\n It was reported in January that Scotland Yard\u2019s counter-terrorism command was investigating a series of \u201chighly targeted\u201d attacks on two Pakistani dissidents living in Britain<\/a>, including Mr Akbar.<\/p>\n It is understood that the UK has not ruled out the possibility of imposing visa sanctions on Pakistan as a diplomatic \u201cnuclear option\u201d.<\/p>\n