UK appoints Shabana Mahmood as first Muslim-Pakistani Home Secretary

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has appointed Shabana Mahmood as the new Home Secretary, marking the first time a person of Pakistani and Muslim origin has held the position. The Home Office oversees immigration, policing, and national security administration.

Mahmood, 45, was born in Birmingham to Kashmiri-Pakistani parents originally from Mirpur, Azad Jammu and Kashmir. She spent part of her childhood in Saudi Arabia before returning to the UK and pursuing a law degree at Lincoln College, Oxford.

She qualified as a barrister and later entered politics, being elected as MP for Birmingham Ladywood in 2010, becoming one of the UK’s first female Muslim MPs.

Over the years, Mahmood has held key positions, including Shadow Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Shadow Minister for Prisons, and most recently Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor. She introduced legislation to address prison overcrowding, court backlogs, and reforms in immigration policy, including expedited deportation for foreign criminals.

Mahmood’s appointment comes after Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner resigned over a housing scandal. She faces the challenge of managing immigration, Channel crossings, and asylum policies while addressing security and policing matters.

In a statement, Mahmood said, “The first responsibility of the government is the safety of its citizens. Every day in this job, I will be devoted to that purpose.”