Mirza Shahzad Akbar
Acid attack on former Pakistan PM Imran Khan's adviser brings ISI's London plot into limelight
An acid attack on former Pakistan PM Imran Khan's adviser in England has once again brought the country's intelligence agency ISI to the limelight.
Shahzad Akbar, who sought refuge in Britain after leading Pakistan’s efforts to combat corruption and becoming an outspoken opponent of the regime, told The Independent he was lucky not to lose his sight in the attack.
Tory MP and former cabinet minister David Davis suspected ISI hands in the incident.
He was quoted as saying by The Independent: "The circumstantial evidence that this attack was conducted at the behest of the ISI is persuasive."
"The Pakistanis have to understand that whatever the standards of law at home, they cannot be allowed to attack British residents on British soil," he said.
A news portal named The Pakistan Military Monitor said in its report: "The barbaric acid attack on the human rights activist, Akbar,
outside his house in Hertfordshire, should have rung alarm bells across the world but it did not."
Shahzad Akbar realized the gravity of the threat early in May this year when his brother, Murad, was kidnapped by ISI goons, the news portal reported.
According to a first-information report registered with Shalimar police station, Islamabad, Murad was “abducted” by people purportedly from different law-enforcing agencies from his Islamabad residence on May 28.The intelligence agency wanted Akbar to return to Pakistan and depose his former
boss, Imran Khan, the news portal further reported.
A week later, several former UK Cabinet ministers, senior law officers, renowned journalists, and legal rights organizations made a strong appeal for Mubarak’s release. It is reported that the Hatfield police initiated a criminal complaint in the Murad case and it is reported that British police asked Islamabad for a reply. Murad returned home in August this year.
According to reports, Akbar later received a letter from the high commission in a bid to know his address and soon he was attacked.
It is widely known in London that Akbar’s attack was carried out by the ISI section operating from the Pakistan High Commission in London. The
section is headed by a Colonel, reported The Pakistan Military Monitor.
Within 12 hours of this outrage, the authorities in Pakistan underlined their intent by raiding Shahzad’s house in Islamabad, trying to seize his brother
Murad once again, the news portal reported.
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