Counter Terrorism Policing London has taken control of the investigation into a series of targeted attacks on Pakistani dissidents and critics of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan living in the UK.
According to Scotland Yard, there have been at least three incidents that are ‘highly targeted’ in nature and may indicate the use of criminal intermediaries to suppress dissent abroad — a phenomenon known as transnational repression.
Among the victims are well-known figures in the Pakistani diaspora, including former government official and anti-corruption activist Mirza Shahzad Akbar, as well as YouTuber and critic of the Pakistani authorities Adil Raja. The attacks took place at around the same time — 24 December 2025 — in different cities: Cambridge and Chesham (Buckinghamshire). The police are treating these cases as potentially coordinated.
Dissidents and their representatives fear that these actions may be part of an organised campaign to intimidate Pakistani emigrants who criticise Islamabad. Such incidents include not only physical attacks, but also arson, burglary and other forms of pressure.
Security experts note that this tactic — using criminal elements as proxies to attack undesirable individuals — has already been observed in the UK in cases involving other countries (in particular, Iran). The authorities have not yet named any official suspects or the state that ordered the attacks but emphasise that the investigation is at an early stage.
Pakistani activists in exile are calling on the British authorities to strengthen the protection of dissidents and investigate possible links with foreign intelligence services or their intermediaries.
The investigation is ongoing. The police are asking anyone with information about these incidents to contact the counter-terrorism hotline.