According to UK media reports, Pakistan is now willing to accept Qari Abdul Rauf and Adil Khan, both convicted of sexually exploiting 47 minor girls in Rochdale and sought for deportation by British authorities for several years. The UK has repeatedly pushed for their removal after their prison sentences ended.
In return, Islamabad is said to be demanding the extradition of Shahzad Akbar and Adil Raja, two vocal critics of Pakistan’s current establishment and supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Both men, who have lived in Britain for years, frequently criticise Pakistan’s military and political leadership through interviews and social media.
Pakistan had previously rejected the offenders’ repatriation because the pair attempted to renounce their Pakistani citizenship to avoid deportation. Islamabad is now prepared to reverse that obstacle, prompting observers to describe the move as a “quid pro quo” arrangement. Neither government has issued an official statement.
Human rights organisations have condemned the reported proposal, accusing Pakistan of “weaponising sex offenders” to target political opponents abroad. Critics argue that Islamabad is attempting to use Britain’s unresolved grooming gang controversy as leverage to silence dissent.
Public anger in the UK remains high over the offenders’ continued presence. A 2022 investigation found that more than 1,400 minor girls were abused by grooming networks across multiple cities between 1997 and 2013. Many of the convicted perpetrators were of Pakistani origin, and the cases exposed severe policing failures.
In January 2025, Tesla CEO Elon Musk publicly criticised the British government’s handling of grooming gang crimes, adding to pressure that led Prime Minister Keir Starmer to order a rapid audit. The subsequent findings prompted a national inquiry launched in June, with deportations remaining a politically sensitive issue as the investigation continues.
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