Pakistani politician Rukhsar Ahmed, facing UK allegations over historic child sexual abuse, reportedly wins a PoK seat despite remaining on police bail, reports Asian Lite News Desk
Former Pakistani state minister Rukhsar Ahmed, who was arrested in the UK last year over allegations of rape and child trafficking dating back to the 1990s, has reportedly been re-elected to the legislative assembly in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), according to British media reports.
The 62-year-old politician was elected last week as a lawmaker for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the party led by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, despite remaining on police bail in the UK following his arrest in July 2024.
Ahmed was arrested at Manchester Airport on July 18, 2024, after investigators received allegations from women who claimed they had been sexually abused and trafficked when they were children in the Manchester area.
According to The Guardian, the allegations relate to suspected sexual offences involving children in care during the early 1990s, when Ahmed was living in Manchester’s Rusholme area.
He was questioned by investigators after his arrest, with police examining allegations made by at least two women who claimed they had been raped and trafficked when they were young.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) sought to impose bail conditions preventing Ahmed from travelling outside the UK, but a judge declined the request in July 2024, the report said.
Ahmed has remained on police bail while the investigation continues.
The case has attracted renewed attention after Ahmed reportedly failed to attend a scheduled bail appointment at a Manchester police station last month. He reportedly told authorities he was too unwell to fly to the UK.
However, social media images reportedly showed him attending election campaign events in the Mirpur region of PoK.
Ahmed subsequently won a seat in the so-called PoK legislative assembly, returning to elected office after five years.
According to the report, he is expected to report to police on bail within the next six weeks. If he fails to do so, GMP could seek his arrest or potentially begin extradition proceedings.
The case could create diplomatic complications if UK authorities seek to bring Ahmed back to Britain for further questioning or proceedings.
Ahmed’s political career has previously included service as a state minister in Pakistan. His reported return to elected office has prompted scrutiny because of the serious allegations under investigation in the UK.
The allegations against Ahmed have not been proven in court, and he remains subject to the presumption of innocence unless and until he is convicted.
The development comes amid separate tensions between the UK and Pakistan over the removal of convicted child sex offenders.
Last month, British political parties called for tougher measures against Pakistan after Islamabad reportedly refused to accept the return of Shabir Ahmed, a convicted Rochdale grooming gang ringleader.
Shabir Ahmed was released from prison after serving 14 years of a 22-year sentence for multiple child rape offences. The UK Government has sought to deport him to Pakistan, where he was born, but Pakistan has reportedly declined to accept his return.
