LONDON – Adil Raja, a former army personnel and YouTuber, refuted reports of his arrest by the UK police on Tuesday.
In a statement posted on his Twitter account, Raja denounced the alleged news of his arrest as misinformation circulated by the Pakistani media.
The reaction came following a media report claimed Raja’s arrest in the UK over accusations of inciting people against Pakistan’s state institutions.
The "fake news" of my arrest / questioning by the UK police, published a few hours ago by the sold-out Pakistani media, aka blackmailing business, exposes the credibility of Pakistani news outlets, if there was any left.
— Adil Raja (@soldierspeaks) December 5, 2023
According to the report, the former army officer was purportedly summoned by UK authorities for questioning, with British officials confirming the arrest on charges of disseminating derogatory content against Pakistan’s institutions through social media.
Last month, the Pakistan Army court-martialed two retired officers, Major Adil Raja and Captain Raza Haider, sentencing them to up to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment. The court-martial verdict stripped them of their ranks, no longer allowing them to use the titles of “major” and “captain.”
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) released a statement on November 25, announcing the convictions of Major (Retired) Adil Farooq Raja and Captain (Retired) Haider Raza Mehdi. The charges against them included inciting sedition among army personnel, breaching official secrecy acts related to espionage, and acting against the safety and interests of the State under the Pakistan Army Act, 1952.
Army court sentences former officers Adil Raja, Haider Mehdi to 14 years in prison over espionage
