A former Pakistani state minister and the Pakistan Muslim League (N)’s newly elected member of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly, Rukhsar Ahmed, has been arrested in the United Kingdom over allegations linked to historic child sexual abuse in Manchester.
According to The Guardian, Ahmed, 62, was arrested by Greater Manchester Police in July 2024 on suspicion of rape and trafficking vulnerable girls in care during the 1990s.
The allegations involve at least two women, while the broader investigation concerns claims of child sexual exploitation involving multiple alleged victims.
The report said Ahmed was released on police bail and was required to answer bail in Manchester last month.
However, he reportedly did not appear, citing illness. During the same period, social media posts showed him campaigning in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, where he was elected last week on a Pakistan Muslim League (N) ticket.
Ahmed has not publicly responded to the allegations.
The investigation by Greater Manchester Police remains ongoing, and no criminal charges or conviction have been announced. Under UK law, Ahmed is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
