Deportation is not the answer, and stripping someone of their citizenship does not absolve the country of its responsibility.
The harsh realities of a miscarriage of justice are evident in the cases of those who received between 4 and 12 years in prison for their crimes. Many believe that these men should have faced longer prison sentences.
Statistics reveal that the proven reoffending rates for those committing sexual offences are lower than for people with non-sexual convictions. However, some individuals are beyond redemption, and it is argued that those like Ahmed are among them.
Survivors of grooming gangs have written to MPs, urging them to stop sexual offenders from receiving early prison release. A mother of one of the late victims of the Rochdale gang expressed her fear that those who harmed her and her child may return to the community sooner than expected.
The law needs to change in the courts, not in immigration, to ensure that sexual violence is taken more seriously and that punishment matches the severity of the crime. If this were the case, the problem of sexual offenders being released early would not exist.
As Ahmed sits in a different cell, awaiting his judgment, the debate between Pakistan and Britain intensifies over where he belongs. However, the reality is that he should be in jail forever, serving a sentence that reflects the gravity of his crimes.
A No 10 spokeswoman described Ahmed's crimes as "horrific" and part of a "dark moment" in the country's history. If this is the case, then it is only fitting that he faces a lengthy prison sentence, not early release.
Pakistan has consistently stated that it will not take back the men responsible for the grooming gangs scandal, and the use of deportation as a solution is being seen as a way to avoid addressing the root problems within the country's criminal justice system.
This issue demands real solutions, not stunts. It is time to examine the criminal justice system and find ways to prevent the release of sexual offenders who pose a threat to society.
