Senior Birmingham councillor Waseem Zaffar dies aged 44. Former Birmingham City Council Safety Advisory Group member at the heart of the Maccabi Tel Aviv supporter ban controversy, one-time ally of Khalid Mahmood, and tipped by many to be Labour Party’s choice for a future Birmingham Council leader, his passing in Pakistan shocks Birmingham politics.
Waseem Zaffar, a senior Birmingham city councillor, has died at the age of 44. His death was confirmed by Birmingham City Council, though no cause of death has been released, and authorities have not treated it as suspicious.
Zaffar represented Lozells Ward from 2011 and held a number of senior positions within the council, including cabinet responsibilities spanning transport, equalities and social justice, and neighbourhood scrutiny committees.
Colleagues paid tribute to Zaffar following the announcement of his death. The Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood MP for Birmingham Ladywood, issued a short statement expressing her shock and extending condolences to his family.
During his time in office, he was publicly described as having moved within Birmingham Labour politics under the influence of Khalid Mahmood, the long-serving former Labour MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, a figure with significant influence within Birmingham Labour networks.
Claims that the pair remained close associates in later years have been disputed by figures familiar with both men. Mahmood is not related to Shabana Mahmood, whose father is Mahmood Ahmed, a former chair of Birmingham’s Labour Party.
Zaffar’s standing inside Birmingham Labour was also the subject of internal criticism in recent years. In an interview with The Times, former Labour councillor Shabina Bano alleged she faced coordinated pressure and bullying from activists linked to a pro-Zaffar bloc during internal leadership manoeuvring.
Labour said it did not recognise her account and stated that an internal investigation found no evidence to substantiate her allegations. Bano also said Zaffar did not personally pressure her to vote for him.
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In 2017, Zaffar resigned from a senior equalities role after a dispute involving a faith-based school uniform policy, a row that drew national attention and intensified debate about community influence and governance in the city. The council later cleared him of wrongdoing and he returned to senior responsibilities.
Zaffar was a member of Birmingham City Council’s Safety Advisory Group during a period when the group came under national attention. The SAG provided advice on a UEFA fixture at Villa Park involving Aston Villa that resulted in supporters of Maccabi Tel Aviv being barred from attending.
The decision was later criticised by MPs and policing reviewers as being based on flawed intelligence, and the council’s handling of the matter attracted political scrutiny.
Zaffar’s role on the group was drawn into wider controversy as the issue was examined externally. To date there has been no finding of wrongdoing against him.
The episode widened into a broader argument about policing impartiality and community pressure in Birmingham, with critics alleging that subsequent public messaging and evidential claims around the risk assessment were mishandled.
Zaffar was actively involved in council deliberations and held senior roles in the city’s governance throughout his career.
He participated in key committee work and policy decisions, and his political activity placed him within the orbit of Birmingham Labour’s most prominent figures.
He has historically been associated with controversial figures Lord Aleem and Akhmed Yakoob, social media personalities known for their support of Gaza and who have each faced recent legal difficulties.
GB News published photographs showing Birmingham councillor Waseem Zaffar in the company of Raja Arshad Khan during trips to Kashmir and Pakistan.
UK authorities have alleged that Raja Arshad Khan ran a transnational drug network, and he is currently facing trial in Pakistan. In later interviews, Zaffar said he encountered the man on a small number of occasions over several years and, once aware of the allegations, contacted West Midlands Police and Crimestoppers.
Councillor Zaffar stated that he had no formal relationship with the individual and was unaware of the criminal allegations against him at the time the photographs were taken. These images do not indicate any involvement by Zaffar in criminal activity. He publicly denied any knowledge of the alleged offences or any association with them.
Upon becoming aware that Raja Arshad Khan (Billu) was wanted in the UK, Councillor Zaffar said he immediately notified the relevant authorities and provided what limited information he had regarding the individual's possible whereabouts.
Councillor Zaffar's death occurred days after he attended the funeral of his uncle, Raja Kamal Khan, in Thub Jagir, Azad Kashmir. Following Zaffar’s own shock death, his funeral has also been held in Pakistan.
In Birmingham, public tributes highlight Zaffar's contributions to community advocacy and environmental causes.
Zaffar was a prominent local figure, tipped by some insiders as a potential future council leader post-2026, and had been involved in candidate selections.
For Labour, his passing will not necessarily bring an end to the scrutiny he has faced for his involvement in controversies such as the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from an Aston Villa match, which drew bias allegations and internal party criticism.
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