Pakistan could face sweeping visa restrictions from Britain after new figures laid bare how few rejected asylum seekers are being sent home.

Official data shows that despite thousands of refusals, just 4.1 per cent of failed Pakistani applicants were returned last year — the equivalent of one in 25.

The scale of the issue is significant. Pakistani nationals now represent the single largest group claiming asylum in the UK, accounting for roughly one in 10 applications overall, reports show.

In 2024, 10,638 Pakistanis sought asylum — double the previous year’s total and ahead of countries including Eritrea (8,948), Iran (7,419) and Afghanistan (6,462).

A striking feature of the trend is how many initially arrived through legitimate routes. Large numbers entered Britain on student, work or visitor visas before later applying for asylum — a move that can pave the way towards permanent residency if successful.

Yet more than 70 per cent of Pakistani claims are rejected.

Home Office figures indicate that while 10,853 applications were refused in 2025, only 445 individuals were removed to Pakistan in the same period, states the Telegraph.

The return rate mirrors that of Namibia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola — countries that were previously warned they would face visa bans unless they agreed to accept deportees. All ultimately reversed course after being threatened with sanctions.

Under powers overseen by Shabana Mahmood, ministers can apply a graduated system of penalties to uncooperative states. These range from scrapping priority visa services to imposing outright entry bans affecting tourists, workers and even political elites, states the report.

A Government source said: “We will not hesitate to apply visa sanctions to any country that isn’t co-operating.”

Opposition parties have seized on the figures.

Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, described the removal rate as “pathetic”, pointing out that a 2022 returns deal was agreed with Islamabad when Priti Patel was home secretary.

He argued tougher steps were needed, saying: “We must drastically reduce the number of visas granted to Pakistani nationals and exit the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) so that people with no right to be here can be deported.”

Meanwhile Reform UK has gone further. Its home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf said visa bans would form part of a broader deportation strategy.

“As part of our deportation strategy, we will not hesitate to impose visa bans on countries that refuse to take back their illegals,” he said.

Last week he named Pakistan among a list of countries — alongside Somalia, Eritrea, Syria, Afghanistan and Sudan — that would see visas suspended under a Reform government, citing overstaying rates and small boat arrivals.

“Make no mistake, more countries will be added to that list. Reform UK will secure our borders and do what it takes to ensure illegal migrants are deported,” he added.

Separate data shows that more than 40,000 people claimed asylum after first entering the UK on valid visas last year — a figure roughly equal to the number arriving via small boats across the Channel.

Pakistan features prominently across every major visa category where migrants later switched to asylum, appearing in the top three for student, work, visitor and other routes. In total, 9,783 Pakistani nationals used this pathway in 2024 — making up nearly a quarter of all visa-to-asylum switches.

A Home Office spokesman is reported to have said: “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.”