• Judicial Magistrate Abbas Shah issues proclamation on his repeated non-appearance despite multiple summons
• Also orders issuance of arrest warrant, noting Akbar’s lack of cooperation with investigators

ISLAMABAD: Mirza Shahzad Akbar, the former special assistant to the prime minister, was declared a proclaimed offender on Friday in a case related to allegedly controversial statements made on the social media platform X.

According to the court order, issued by Judicial Magistrate Muhammad Abbas Shah, the decision was taken after Akbar, who is currently residing in the United Kingdom, failed to appear before the court despite multiple summons.

The order also directed the authorities concerned to issue an arrest warrant for Akbar to ensure his production before the court. It noted that the accused had not cooperated with the investigation and had remained absent throughout the legal proceedings.

A challan in the case has already been submitted to the court.

With the proclamation order now in place, law enforcement authorities are expected to intensify efforts to apprehend the former aide on accountability as the trial moves forward.

In July this year, the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) had registered the case against Akbar over allegedly defamatory and controversial remarks shared on his social media account.

Extradition request

Earlier, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had met UK High Commissioner Jane Marriott on Thursday and handed over the extradition papers for Mirza Shahzad Akbar and YouTuber Adil Raja.

“The extradition papers for Akbar and Raja from the government of Pakistan were handed over [to Marriott],” a statement issued by the interior ministry said.

“Both individuals are wanted in Pak­i­s­tan. They should be handed over to Pak­i­stan immediately,” Mr Naqvi was quoted as saying. He also provided evidence against Pakistani citizens who were spre­ading propaganda, the statement said.

“I fully believe in freedom of expression, but fake news is a problem for every country,” he said, as per the statement.

“No country can allow slander and defamation against state institutions from those sitting abroad,” the minister said. Naqvi also said that Pakistan would welcome British cooperation for the return of those who “spread anti-Pakistan propaganda”.

While Pakistan does not have a formal extradition treaty with the UK, both countries do have an agreement in place whereby London can repatriate Pakistani nationals involved in crimes and violating immigration laws.

Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2025