Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Thursday handed over extradition papers for former PM’s aide Shahzad Akbar and YouTuber Adil Raja to UK High Commissioner Jane Marriott during a meeting in Islamabad. The move follows Naqvi’s announcement of a nationwide crackdown on fake news and those targeting state institutions from abroad.
According to the interior ministry, the meeting covered Pak‑UK relations, security cooperation, and the repatriation of Pakistanis illegally residing in the UK. Senior interior ministry officials also attended. Naqvi said both Akbar and Raja were wanted in Pakistan and should be returned immediately, adding that evidence had been shared against individuals spreading anti‑Pakistan propaganda.
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Naqvi reiterated support for free expression but said no country could allow defamation of state institutions from overseas. He said Pakistan would welcome UK cooperation in bringing back those involved in spreading disinformation. The extradition process has been initiated through the Foreign Office.
Akbar rejected the move on social media, saying his reporting on human rights abuses and rising authoritarianism had angered the government. He alleged retaliation, including the abduction of family members in Pakistan and an acid attack in the UK — claims previously dismissed by Pakistan’s Foreign Office. Raja also criticised the government, calling the complaint “unlawful under UK statutes”.
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Both men reside in the UK. Raja was ordered by a London court to pay £350,000 in damages for defaming a former intelligence officer. Akbar runs a YouTube channel commenting on Pakistan’s politics.
The extradition initiative comes days after Naqvi vowed a large‑scale operation against fake news, saying the state would no longer tolerate misinformation or attempts to create panic through social media.