Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met United Kingdom (UK) High Commissioner Jane Marriott on Thursday, where he handed over the extradition papers for former special assistant to the prime minister Shahzad Akbar and YouTuber Adil Raja.
The development comes three days after Naqvi announced a crackdown on those involved in fake news, declaring that the government would repatriate from the UK those (YouTubers) involved in this activity or targeting the state institutions.
According to a statement released by the interior ministry, Naqvi held an “important” meeting with Marriott in Islamabad, where the two discussed Pak-UK relations, security cooperation and issues of mutual interest.
Federal Secretary for Interior Muhammad Khurram Agha and other relevant officers were also present, it said. They also discussed the return of Pakistanis illegally residing in the UK, it added.
“The extradition papers for Akbar and Raja from the government of Pakistan were handed over [to Marriott],” the statement said.
“Both individuals are wanted in Pakistan. They should be handed over to Pakistan immediately,” 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”.
The statement further said that the interior ministry had initiated the extradition process through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
