The Pakistan High Commission in London has refused to renew the passport of Mirza Shahzad Akbar, a former adviser to Prime Minister Imran Khan. Reliable sources report that officials informed Akbar that his passport was blocked by authorities in Islamabad.
Akbar, who has been living in London since April 2022, visited the High Commission on October 29 for a scheduled appointment. During the biometric verification and document submission process, officials declined to process his renewal application.
The refusal stems from a formal action taken by the Interior Ministry and NADRA in 2023. They cancelled and blocked Akbar’s passport following a request from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
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This action is connected to the Al-Qadir Trust case. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi have been convicted in the same case.
The situation presents a notable irony in Pakistan’s political landscape. During his tenure as interior adviser, Akbar’s ministry similarly refused to renew the passports of political figures living abroad. Former PM Nawaz Sharif was one such figure.
An official familiar with the matter stated that the message is clear that Akbar is wanted back in Pakistan. They indicated that passport renewal would be conditional upon his physical return and cooperation with NAB investigators.
Akbar, a barrister and former head of the government’s Asset Recovery Unit, left Pakistan after the Islamabad High Court removed his name from the Exit Control List. He has confirmed that his passport renewal request was refused.
