Imran Khan's former aide attacked in UK, PTI says concerned about safety of political dissidents

Islamabad, Dec 25 (IANS) Mirza Shahzad Akbar, who earlier served as the accountability advisor in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government led by country's former Prime Minister Imran Khan, was brutally attacked in the United Kingdom, an incident that has left him "bruised and fractured".

A former Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM), Akbar has been living in exile in the UK since April 2022.

"I have been attacked and been in the hospital and with the police. Bruised and fractured [sic]," Akbar said in text messages to Pakistani daily Dawn, confirming a post about the attack shared on PTI’s social media platform.

The PTI party on Wednesday night took to X, stating that Akbar was attacked at his house in Cambridge in the morning.

The post highlighted that a few days ago, Major General Ahmed Sharif, the Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) - the official media and public relations wing for Pakistan's Armed Forces - was asked about Akbar during a press conference and he had replied that he does not "even want to see his face".

"This morning, Barrister Shahzad Akbar was attacked at his home in Cambridge, UK. The 25-30-year-old attacker repeatedly punched him in the face, resulting in a fractured nose and jaw, and he is in hospital. Local police have obtained all the details and the investigation is ongoing," PTI posted on X.

Condemning the assault, the PTI said that the incident highlights growing concerns regarding the safety of political dissidents residing in exile in the UK.

Akbar was also attacked in November 2023 at his home in Hertfordshire when a masked individual threw acidic liquid at him. Sharing the incident on X, the former SAPM wrote, "I will not be intimidated nor bow down to those who are doing this".

He alleged that the acid attack was linked to the Al Qadir Trust case involving PTI founder Imran Khan, and claimed that Pakistani security agencies were harassing him to give evidence against the former PM.

Separately, while speaking to Dawn, Akbar said, "I have been sent messages in recent months by people who are clearly not happy with me. I've been told to mend my ways, or else…"

In April 2024, Akbar had initiated legal action in a UK court against the government of Pakistan over the acid attack.

Meanwhile, an Islamabad court declared Akbar a proclaimed offender in a case related to alleged controversial statements made on X. Subsequently, Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met UK High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott and submitted extradition papers for Akbar.

Recently, a report of the UK Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights on Transnational Repression highlighted that Pakistan is witnessing a growing campaign of Transnational Repression (TNR) targetting dissidents, particularly in the UK, through harassment, intimidation, physical violence and the misuse of Interpol 'Red Notices'.

--IANS

scor/as