Govt sends case files to UK for extradition of Shahzad Akbar

ISLAMABAD: In a major development, the Pakistani government has sent a complete case file to the British government, seeking the extradition of former accountability adviser Mirza Shahzad Akbar.

According to sources, the documents sent to UK authorities included details of cases registered and ongoing legal proceedings against Shahzad Akbar, who was acountability adviser in the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government.

According to the record, at least three cases are registered against him with the Islamabad police — two at Secretariat Police Station and one at Kohsar Police Station.

Sources said that details of cases filed against Akbar with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) have also been shared with the British authorities.

The documents said that Shahzad Akbar has been declared a proclaimed offender by local courts and, in some cases, has already been convicted.

Officials said that the federal government has approached the UK authorities on a case-by-case basis, initially sending records related to Shahzad Akbar and Adil Raja.

Government sources said that in the next phase, cases of other wanted individuals are also likely to be sent to the respective countries using the same procedure.

Earlier, a judicial magistrate in Islamabad declared Shahzad Akbar a proclaimed offender after repeated failures to appear before the court in a case related to controversial statements posted on social media.

In a written order issued by Judicial Magistrate Muhammad Abbas Shah, the court noted that Akbar had been summoned multiple times but did not attend any of the hearings. As a result, the magistrate formally declared him an absconder and also directed that arrest warrants be issued to ensure his production before the court.

According to court documents, the investigation agency had already submitted a challan (charge sheet) against Akbar. The case stems from remarks he allegedly made on X (formerly Twitter), which authorities say were inflammatory and in violation of relevant laws. The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) registered the case against him in July 2025.

Akbar has been living abroad for several months and has not responded publicly to the recent court developments.