UK rape accused Rukhsar Ahmed wins Pakistan-occupied Kashmir poll on bail

London,UPDATED: Aug 5, 2026 18:24 IST

A former Pakistani state minister who was arrested in the UK on sexual assault charges linked to young girls contested an election in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir while on police bail, according to a report by The Guardian on Wednesday.

Rukhsar Ahmed, 62, was reportedly "re-elected" in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir polls last week after being out of office for five years. The report said the case against him relates to allegations from at least two women who claimed that he was involved in raping and trafficking them when they were young girls.

According to the newspaper, Ahmed was arrested at Manchester Airport in July 2024 on suspicion of rape and trafficking children in care as part of a grooming gang scandal. It quoted: "Ahmed was arrested at Manchester airport on 18 July 2024 in relation to past child sexual abuse allegations linked to the Rusholme area of the city, where he lived for many years."

The report said Ahmed was expected to report to Greater Manchester Police under his bail conditions last month, but did not do so. It added that British police had wanted to restrict his ability to travel abroad as part of his bail conditions, but a court rejected the tougher measures two years ago.

The newspaper said: "Detectives questioned Ahmed in July 2024 about allegations from at least two women who claimed that Ahmed was involved in raping and trafficking them when they were young girls." It added: "It is understood that detectives learned about Ahmed's involvement in Pakistani politics when he was in custody for questioning." Ahmed is affiliated to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, the party of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and served as a minister in various state governments from 2006 until he lost his seat in 2021.

Last week, Ahmed was pictured on social media campaigning at various election gatherings in Mirpur in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The ongoing investigation against the politician and businessman 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. The report said he is expected to answer police bail in the next six weeks in Manchester, failing which police could issue a warrant for his arrest or take steps to extradite him. Greater Manchester Police have been approached for a statement.

In sum, the report said Ahmed, who was arrested in the UK last year over child sexual abuse allegations, went on to contest and reportedly win a seat in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir while on police bail, with the investigation still under way.

With PTI Inputs

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