Pakistan has formally designated UK-based journalist and former army officer Major (retired) Adil Raja as a terrorist by placing his name under Schedule 4, a move Raja has strongly condemned. He described the action as politically motivated retaliation for his continued criticism of Pakistan’s military establishment and said it amounted to an act of transnational repression aimed at silencing dissenting voices abroad.
In a statement shared on social media, Raja claimed the decision followed unsuccessful attempts by Pakistani authorities to have him extradited from the United Kingdom. He asserted that the designation had no legal or criminal basis and was instead intended to intimidate him because of his reporting and outspoken criticism of the country’s powerful military leadership. According to him, the move reflects a broader pattern of targeting critics who operate outside Pakistan’s borders.
The development comes shortly after a break-in at Raja’s residence in the outskirts of London. He said unknown individuals entered his home and ransacked the premises while no one was present inside. No injuries were reported, and the incident was promptly reported to local authorities. Raja said UK police responded swiftly and have launched an investigation into the incident.
Raja linked the burglary to what he described as an escalating campaign of transnational intimidation against Pakistani dissidents living abroad. He pointed to the recent attack on former Pakistani minister Shahzad Akbar in Cambridge as part of the same pattern, suggesting that critics of Pakistan’s establishment are increasingly being targeted even outside the country.
According to Raja, after failing to secure his extradition, the Pakistani state intensified its actions by targeting his family home and subsequently branding him a terrorist under domestic laws. He alleged that the decision was orchestrated by the military establishment as a way to criminalise his journalism and discourage others from speaking out.
Rejecting the terrorism designation, Raja said it was a misuse of state power aimed at suppressing dissent rather than addressing any genuine security concern. He stated that the move would not silence him and vowed to continue highlighting what he called authoritarian practices within Pakistan.
He also expressed solidarity with other critics and detainees, including Baloch activist Mahrang Baloch and former prime minister Imran Khan, who remains in jail. Raja said the action against him only reinforced his resolve to continue speaking against what he views as injustice and repression.
As of now, Pakistani authorities have not issued any official response to Raja’s allegations or clarified the grounds on which his name was added to Schedule 4.
