ISLAMABAD (MNN); Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Thursday met United Kingdom (UK) High Commissioner Jane Marriott and formally handed over extradition documents for former SAPM Shahzad Akbar and YouTuber Adil Raja.
The move comes three days after Naqvi announced a strict crackdown on those responsible for spreading fake news, stressing that the government would bring back from the UK all YouTubers involved in propaganda or attacks on state institutions.
According to the interior ministry, Naqvi held an important meeting with Marriott in Islamabad, where both sides discussed Pakistan-UK relations, security cooperation, and other mutual matters. Interior Secretary Muhammad Khurram Agha and senior officials also attended the meeting. They also discussed the repatriation of Pakistanis illegally residing in the UK.
The ministry confirmed that Pakistan formally handed over the extradition papers to Marriott, stating that both Akbar and Raja are required by law in Pakistan and should be returned immediately. Naqvi said he also shared evidence against Pakistani nationals allegedly involved in propagating anti-state content.
Naqvi said he believes in freedom of expression but noted that fake news was a global challenge. He added that no country can tolerate defamatory campaigns against state institutions from individuals living abroad. Pakistan, he said, is ready to work with the UK on the return of those spreading anti-Pakistan propaganda.
The ministry further said the extradition process was initiated through the Foreign Office.
Reacting to the development, Shahzad Akbar posted on X that his reports, broadcasts, and commentary on human rights violations, rising authoritarianism, and constitutional concerns had angered the government. Tagging Marriott and the UK’s FCDO, he claimed that he had already faced serious reprisals, including the abduction of his family in Pakistan and an acid attack on him in the UK.
Akbar earlier said he was attacked at his home in England in 2023, where an “acidic liquid” was thrown at him. He later filed a legal case against the Pakistan government, a claim the Foreign Office called “preposterous”. Akbar said he trusts the UK to uphold due process and human rights standards.
Adil Raja, also based in the UK, argued that Pakistan’s complaints were unlawful under British law and said Pakistan’s global reputation reflects economic decline, corruption, and poor governance highlighted in the IMF review. Raja, a former Pakistan Army officer, was previously ordered by a London High Court to pay £350,000 in damages for defaming a former intelligence officer with unverified allegations.
Shahzad Akbar also runs a YouTube channel commenting on Pakistan’s political affairs.
