Former adviser to ex-Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, Shahzad Akbar, was seriously injured in an assault outside his residence in Cambridge, United Kingdom, suffering fractures to his nose and jaw. The attack has raised concerns about the safety of Pakistani political dissidents living abroad. According to initial accounts, the incident occurred when an unidentified individual rang the doorbell at Akbar’s home and assaulted him as soon as he stepped outside. The attacker reportedly punched him repeatedly in the face, causing severe injuries that required hospitalisation. Akbar later said the assailant appeared masked and the assault seemed premeditated.

After the initial attack, the assailant is believed to have briefly retreated before returning to take photographs or video footage of Akbar while he was injured, a detail now being examined by investigators. Akbar was taken to hospital for treatment and was later discharged after receiving medical care. Cambridge police have confirmed that an investigation is underway. Authorities have collected CCTV footage from the area and are reviewing evidence, though no arrests have been announced so far and the motive behind the attack remains unclear.

The incident has drawn strong condemnation from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, which described the assault as alarming and linked it to Akbar’s outspoken criticism of Pakistan’s military leadership. Days before the attack, Akbar had delivered a speech in London criticising Army Chief General Asim Munir during a protest outside the Pakistan High Commission. Akbar has been living in self-imposed exile in the UK since 2022 following political upheaval in Pakistan. In a statement after the attack, he described the assault as cowardly and said it would not deter him from speaking out on issues related to democracy, corruption and human rights.

This was not the first time Akbar has been targeted. In a previous incident last year, an attack involving a corrosive substance was reported at his UK residence, further intensifying concerns among Pakistani political exiles about their security overseas. The assault has sparked renewed debate over transnational intimidation and the protection of political dissidents, with calls for a thorough investigation to identify those responsible and ensure accountability. 

This image is taken from BBC.