Rukhsar Ahmed, a former Pakistani state minister and recently elected MP, has declined to specify a date for his return to the UK to face allegations of rape and trafficking of underage girls in Manchester during the 1990s. Ahmed, 61, was arrested at Manchester airport in July 2024 on suspicion of raping and trafficking at least two underage girls from care homes in the Rusholme area. He was released on bail and flew to Pakistan nearly two months ago, missing a police station appointment after claiming he was too unwell to travel.
Election and current whereabouts
Days after his return to Pakistan, Ahmed was elected as an MP for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's centre-right Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party. He was located in his office in Khari Sharif, a village in Mirpur district, according to the Mail on Sunday. In an interview, Ahmed said his legal team in Manchester and London had advised him not to discuss the case, stating, "Everything is with my legal team in Manchester and London, they told me I can't discuss this." He added, "What they done, this media in the United Kingdom and Europe, is out of order. I have not been convicted of anything nor charged for anything, so what is going on? I don't want to discuss it, because if I discuss it, things may go wrong."
Denial and legal stance
Asked directly whether he had raped two underage girls, Ahmed refused to answer, telling the reporter, "You are doing wrong now, I told you not to talk to me like this … please don't talk to me like this, I told you I have nothing to do with it, OK." In a statement on his Facebook account on Friday, Ahmed declared, "I categorically deny all the allegations against me and will address these matters through the appropriate forums. On legal advice, I will not comment further while these matters remain ongoing."
Background and bail conditions
Ahmed served as a minister in various state governments from 2006 until he lost his seat in 2021. The Guardian understands that Greater Manchester Police (GMP) had sought to restrict his ability to travel abroad as part of his bail conditions, but a judge rejected tougher measures in July 2024. Ahmed was arrested at Manchester airport on 18 July 2024 in relation to allegations of past child sexual abuse linked to the Rusholme area, where he lived for many years. He is the owner of a former restaurant, the Gujjar Palace, near Manchester's curry mile.
Investigation and next steps
The ongoing investigation relates to allegations from several women about sexual abuse of children at care homes in the early 1990s, when Ahmed was in his late 20s. He is expected to answer police bail within the next six weeks. If he fails to attend, GMP may issue a warrant for his arrest or take steps to extradite him. Richard Scorer, the head of abuse law at Slater and Gordon, who has acted in many Manchester grooming gang cases, commented, "Rusholme has regularly featured in grooming gang investigations over the past 30 years, with many cases involving allegations of children being abused in and around the area. Not all of those allegations have been adequately investigated. I hope that a comprehensive investigation is taking place here."
