United Kingdom's first Muslim MP of Pakistan-origin Mohammad Sarwar has said that he is stepping down after receiving death threats linked to a case in which he helped convict three men for racist murder.

The 54-year-old Labour MP told party activists that he would not be contesting his Glasgow Central seat at the next election because his family was threatened by a gang allegedly linked to the racist murderers.

Imran Shahid, Zeeshan Shahid and Mohammed Faisal Mushtaq were jailed for life last year for their part in the killing of teenager Kriss Donald, who was kidnapped, tortured and murdered in Glasgow in 2004.

Sarwar was instrumental in arranging the extradition of the trio after they fled to Pakistan. He even said he knew the consequences of helping bring the trio back to justice but maintained "it was the right thing to do".

"Life is not the same, to be honest with you, since I brought them back. I was subjected to threats. I was told they wanted to punish my family and make a horrible example of my son -- they would do to him what they did to Kriss Donald. I received threats to my life, to murder my sons, to murder my grandchildren," he said.