| Source | Latest linked headline | Age |
|---|---|---|
| The Guardian | PAKISTANI GROOMING GANG SUSPECT ‘REFUSES TO GIVE DATE FOR RETURN TO UK’ | 1 hr ago |
Rukhsar Ahmed, a former Pakistani state minister who was re‑elected as a Member of Parliament, was arrested on July 2024 at Manchester airport on suspicion of raping and trafficking at least two underage girls from care homes in the city’s Rusholme area during the 1990s. He remains on bail in the UK and has declined to say when he will return to face the rape charges.
According to The Guardian, Ahmed was among a grooming‑gang suspect released on bail in the UK before being elected again in Pakistan. The arrest was made as he was leaving the airport, and the police are investigating allegations that he trafficked and sexually abused children in the 1990s. Ahmed has not yet provided a timeline for his return to the UK to address the charges.
The case highlights the cross‑border nature of the UK’s child‑abuse investigations and the challenges of holding politicians accountable when they hold office abroad.