By DPA
London : A British Muslim member of parliament (MP) Friday announced his withdrawal from politics after receiving death threats for his involvement in clearing up a racist murder three years ago.
Mohammad Sarwar, who became Britain's first Muslim MP when he was elected for the Labour Party in 1997, said he would not contest his seat in Glasgow, Scotland, at the next general election.
Sarwar, 54, said his family had been threatened by a gang linked to racist murderers Imran Shahid, Zeeshan Shahid and Mohammed Faisal Mushtaq.
The three men were jailed for life last year for their part in the killing of Glasgow teenager Kriss Donald, who was kidnapped, tortured and killed in the city in February 2004.
Sarwar was instrumental in arranging their extradition after they had fled to Pakistan.
"Life is not the same, to be honest with you, since I brought them back. I was subjected to threats. I received threats to my life, to murder my sons, to murder my grandchildren," Sarwar told the Daily Record newspaper.
Sarwar used his high-level connections in Pakistan to arrange the extradition of the suspects, who were key players in a violent gang operating in Glasgow.
A multimillionaire, Sarwar was first elected as an MP for the Glasgow Govan constituency in 1997. In 2001, he was re-elected with an increased majority.