FIA to bring back Adil Raja, other ‘miscreants’ sitting abroad

The agency launches crackdown on ‘social media miscreants’ abroad, seeks Interpol’s assistance

In a significant move to safeguard national security and curb the spread of malicious content, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has initiated a crackdown on individuals sitting abroad who are involved in maligning national security institutions through social media platforms.

The FIA has taken swift action by identifying 361 social media accounts associated with such activities and has decided to arrest the miscreants behind them, Express News reported.

To ensure that these individuals are brought to justice, the FIA has reached out to the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) to assist in arresting and extraditing the critics residing in foreign jurisdictions.

By coordinating efforts with Interpol, the FIA aims to track the accounts of the accused and register cases against them under the Cybercrime Act.

Speaking on the matter, an official from the FIA emphasised that the cases would be registered promptly, and necessary legal actions would be taken against the accused individuals. Once the cases are registered, the FIA, with the assistance of Interpol, will work towards bringing the accused individuals back to Pakistan to face the charges filed against them.

Also read: Adil Raja ‘arrested’ in London; Sabir, Moeed booked on sedition charges

In a notable development, the FIA has specifically requested Interpol to issue a red notice for the arrest of YouTuber Major (retd) Adil Raja, who is allegedly involved in spreading malicious content against national security institutions on social media platforms.

The FIA anticipates that Adil Raja will be arrested in the near future and subsequently brought back to Pakistan to undergo legal proceedings.

Furthermore, the FIA is preparing a comprehensive plan of legal action against those who engage in the abuse and harassment of individuals through social media platforms. This initiative is aimed at ensuring the protection and well-being of people who are subjected to online abuse and creating a safer digital environment for all users.

Reacting to the development, Raja taking to Twitter said the main purpose of the “puppet government” of targeting him seemed to be to create the fear of persecution among overseas Pakistanis, journalists, and activists. “These scare tactics will also fail like the rest of the idiotic tricks by the fascist rulers,” he maintained.

The main purpose of the puppet @GovtofPakistan of targeting me seems to be to create the fear of persecution among overseas Pakistanis, journalists, & activists. These scare tactics will also fail like the rest of the idiotic tricks by the fascist rulers.#PakistanUnderFascism

— Adil Raja (@soldierspeaks) June 22, 2023

In a separate tweet, he said: “Article 3 of Interpol is clear in matters of the organisation's involvement. The scare tactics of the Pakistani establishment against freedom of expression in support of democracy won't work to shut down the voices of dissent, which is the main aim of this entire exercise.”

Article 3 of @Interpol is clear in matters of the organisation's involvement. The scare tactics of the Pakistani establishment against freedom of expression in support of democracy won't work to shut down the voices of dissent, which is the main aim of this entire exercise. https://t.co/5CTNVihZSE pic.twitter.com/rDZKrv4khI

— Adil Raja (@soldierspeaks) June 22, 2023

Raja, who is known for his pro-PTI stance, had moved to London last year following reports that he had gone “missing” from Islamabad.