Pakistan Faces Possible UK Visa Ban Over Failed Deportations
Pakistani Asylum Claims Skyrocket in UK
Pakistan could soon be slapped with a UK visa ban after shocking new data revealed just 4.1% of failed Pakistani asylum seekers were sent back last year. A staggering 10,638 Pakistanis lodged asylum claims in 2024 — double the 2023 figure and the highest from any single country. They now make up one in ten asylum seekers in Britain, outnumbering claims from Eritrea, Iran, and Afghanistan combined.
Many arrived on visitor, work, or student visas, then switched to asylum claims, hoping to stay permanently.
Home Secretary Issues Stark Warning to Islamabad
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has fired a clear warning at Pakistan to start cooperating with deportations — or face tough penalties. She expects Pakistan to follow the lead of Namibia, DR Congo, and Angola, which all agreed to take back failed asylum seekers after similar UK pressure.
“While the UK and Pakistan are working in partnership on shared migration and returns priorities, our message is clear — co-operate on returns or face consequences,” a Home Office spokesperson said.
If talks fail, the UK could scrap fast-track visa services and slash entry privileges for a wide range of Pakistani nationals, from tourists to politicians.
High-Profile Deportation Standoff Adds Fuel to Fire
The row worsens with two notorious grooming gang leaders refusing to return. Adil Khan and Qari Abdul Rauf, jailed in 2012 for sexually assaulting 47 girls as young as 12, have renounced their Pakistani citizenship to dodge deportation. Their cases have become a significant sticking point in UK-Pakistan relations.
Opposition Demands Hardline Measures
- Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp slammed the current 4.1% return rate as “pathetic.”
- He called for slashing Pakistani visa grants.
- Philp also urged the UK to quit the European Convention on Human Rights to speed up deportations.
As diplomatic pressure mounts, the big question remains: will Pakistan finally crack and boost cooperation — or will the UK slam the door with a harsh visa ban?
