Former Pak army officer tells UK court he, his family faced threats

LONDON: Former Pakistan senior military officer Brigadier (R) Rashid Naseer has told the UK High Court that he and his family faced threats to their lives, harassment, abuse and breach of privacy after Major (R) Adil Raja made several allegations against him from the UK jurisdiction. Brigadier (R) Rashid Naseer was giving evidence in the defamation case that he has brought against Major (R) Adil Raja for the alleged defamation in nearly a dozen publications on YouTube, X (Twitter) and Facebook. He was cross-examined at the start of the trial by Barrister Simon Harding, lawyer of Adil Raja, the defendant in the case. Adil Raja appeared via Zoom, his key witnesses Shehzad Akbar, the former head of Assets Recovery Unit (ARU) appeared in person while two others appeared online from the US in support of Raja.

Brigadier (R) Rashid Naseer said: “False lies were spread about me, posing dangers to me and my family. My daughter had offers from the King’s College London and other prestigious universities but I was concerned after what Adil Raja did to me and decided to send my daughter and son to the US for higher studies. I have family and friends in the UK including friends working in the UK intelligence whom I have worked with. I was approached by all of them after the defendant started slandering me on social media.”

Questioning on the issue of serious harm, Barrister Simon Harding asked why Mr Naseer had not produced any evidence of the calls or communications he received from the UK area over Raja’s allegation. He replied that he and his family had received several calls from the UK but he would not give their details because he would not like to expose his relatives and friends from the UK to threats, abuse and trolling. Mr Naseer said that the level of harassment and danger he has faced has been so intense that he decided to get his daughter and son admitted to US universities as Adil Raja had published pictures of his son and family on social media.

“One of the persons who attempted to assassinate me was a follower of Adil Raja, he was arrested and he confirmed he was inspired by Adil Raja’s publications about me and he wanted to kill me; one of the tweets wished death upon my son after his picture and the US University address was published,” Mr Naseer told the court.

The London High Court Deputy judge Richard Spearman KC opened the defamation case between former Pakistan senior military officer Brigadier (R) Rashid Naseer and Major (R) Adil Raja by asking questions about the evidence and proof of Brigadier (R) Rashid Naseer’s alleged involvement in rigging of the 2023 elections and other allegations – including the importance of verified sources, factual claims and fake news allegations.

The case is based around nine publications. In deciding the meaning of the publications in April 2024, Deputy High Court Judge Mr Richard Spearman KC had ruled that Brig (R) Rashid Naseer was defamed under UK common law when Adil Raja made 13 allegations, without any evidence, in the publications in June 2022.

Adil Raja denies all these allegations. There were nearly 50 people from the British Pakistani community who attended the hearing. It was so packed that the court had to open another room for the media and public to watch the proceedings.