ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met with Jane Marriott, the United Kingdom’s High Commissioner to Pakistan, in Islamabad on Thursday and formally handed over extradition documents for former prime minister’s aide Shahzad Akbar and YouTuber Adil Raja.
The meeting took place days after the interior minister announced a nationwide crackdown on individuals accused of spreading disinformation and maligning state institutions.
He had warned that those operating from abroad, particularly in the UK, would be brought back to Pakistan through legal channels.
According to an official statement, discussions during the meeting focused on Pakistan-UK bilateral relations, security cooperation, and matters of mutual concern.
Federal Interior Secretary Muhammad Khurram Agha and other senior officials were also present.
The return of Pakistani nationals residing illegally in the UK was also discussed.
The interior minister stated that both Shahzad Akbar and Adil Raja were wanted in Pakistan and their immediate extradition was being sought.
He also submitted supporting evidence against individuals accused of running propaganda campaigns from overseas.
Mohsin Naqvi said that while he believed in freedom of expression, the deliberate spread of false information posed serious challenges for all countries.
He added that no state could tolerate defamatory campaigns against its institutions from abroad and expressed hope for British cooperation in returning those accused.
The interior ministry confirmed that the extradition process has been formally initiated through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In response, Shahzad Akbar said on social media that his criticism of human rights violations, alleged authoritarian practices, and political developments in Pakistan had angered the authorities.
He further claimed that his family members in Pakistan were abducted in retaliation and that he had survived an acid attack in the UK in 2023.
He said he trusted British institutions to uphold due process and human rights.
Adil Raja, also responding to the development, said that complaints forwarded to UK authorities were unlawful as he had committed no offense under British law.
He added that Pakistan’s international image reflected poor governance and economic difficulties, citing a recent International Monetary Fund review.
It is noteworthy that Adil Raja, a former Pakistan Army officer who now presents himself as a whistleblower, was previously ordered by a London court to pay £350,000 in damages and legal costs in a defamation case involving a former intelligence officer.
Shahzad Akbar also operates a YouTube channel from the UK, where he regularly comments on Pakistan’s political landscape.
Earlier this week, Mohsin Naqvi announced that the newly formed National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency, in coordination with the information ministry, would begin large-scale action against those spreading fake news.
He said the government would no longer tolerate the circulation of false reports, including fabricated claims about political leaders.
He also emphasized that unlike mainstream media, social media lacked proper accountability mechanisms, adding that a regulatory framework for online platforms was being established. Referring to criticism aimed at Asim Munir, the interior minister warned that those operating overseas would not be spared and would be brought back through legal means.
