Shahzad Akbar, a former federal minister and advisor to ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan, has initiated legal proceedings against the government of Pakistan over an acid attack by an unknown visitor at his home in Royston, England, on November 26, 2023.
Akbar legal team formally presented the legal claim to the Pakistan High Commission in London on Monday afternoon, which spans over 15 pages, accusing several officials from the Pakistani government of orchestrating the attack.
In his legal filing, Akbar recounts the attack taking place in the presence of his young child, leaving him with both physical scars and psychological trauma. He has articulated his intent to pursue this case in the London High Court.
Before he departed from government, Akbar was a close adviser to Imran Khan, resigning three months before Khan’s April 2022 removal from office. His resignation came after his realization that he could not curb the endemic corruption within Pakistan, as stated in a press release by his legal representatives.
After his resignation, Akbar faced travel restrictions and was only removed from a no-fly list after a successful legal challenge. He relocated to London in April 2022 through Dubai, fearing reprisals from Pakistani authorities or their agents.
In December 2022, Shahzad Akbar relocated to the UK and began working as an in-house lawyer for a company in London. He claims he is still being persecuted by the Pakistani government, which he refers to as “transnational repression.”
In October 2023, Akbar discovered that the Pakistan High Commission in London was trying to find his home address. A month later, he received a request from the High Commission for information about a confidential transaction with the UK National Crime Agency. Two weeks after receiving this letter, Akbar was attacked with acid at his home, resulting in severe injuries to his face, head, and right arm.
Emergency services treated him immediately and transported him to Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge. Although Akbar reported the attack to the Hertfordshire police on the same day, no charges have yet been brought in the ongoing investigation.
