A HEARING has taken place into whether a convicted paedophile from Pakistan should be allowed to stay in the UK.

Zulfar Hussain, 48, was jailed in August 2007, for abducting underage girls in Blackburn and Burnley and sexually exploiting them.

He was placed in an immigration removal centre earlier this year and was set to be deported.

However, he won an appeal which allowed him to remain and potentially return to Blackburn to live with his wife and children.

The Home Office appealed the decision and Hussain, formerly of Cowell Way, Blackburn, has remained locked up pending a final decision.

A spokesman for the UK Borders Agency confirmed his hearing had taken place on Wednesday and that a result was expected in two to three weeks.

Hussain and his co-accused, Qaiser Naveed, 34, formerly of Colne Road, Burnley, were convicted of child abduction, sexual activity with a child and supplying youngsters with heroin.

Naveed did not oppose his deportation and has returned to Pakistan after serving half his five-year, eight-month sentence.

Hussain’ successful appeal against deportation was based on his ‘right to a family life’ as he had lived in Blackburn with his family for 10 years.