Web desk: A UK High Court judge has ordered Adil Raja to publicly apologise to Brigadier (retd) Rashid Naseer following a defamation case on Monday.
The apology must remain on Raja’s social media accounts, including X, Facebook, YouTube, and his official website, for a period of 28 days, the judge ruled.
In addition, Adil Raja has been ordered to pay a total of £310,000 in damages and court costs by December 22.
This includes £50,000 in damages and £260,000 in legal costs, with additional court costs to be assessed later, the judgment stated.
The case stems from a defamation lawsuit that Raja lost in October.
High Court Judge Richard Spearman KC delivered the judgment during the hearing. It rejected Raja’s application for an appeal against the original decision.
The court also issued a restraining order prohibiting Raja from repeating the defamatory statements in the future.
Following the ruling, Raja’s lawyer indicated that they may challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal.
Adil Raja, Shahzad Akbar
Previously, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met British High Commissioner Jane Marriott and handed over extradition documents for former PM’s aide Shahzad Akbar and YouTuber Adil Raja.
This development came three days after Naqvi announced a crackdown on those involved in spreading fake news.
During a press conference, he had said the government would seek the return of individuals in the UK responsible for disinformation or attacks on state institutions.
According to a statement issued by the Interior Ministry, Naqvi’s meeting with the British High Commissioner in Islamabad covered Pak-UK relations, security cooperation and other matters of mutual interest.
The statement said Interior Secretary Muhammad Khurram Agha and other senior officials also attended the meeting, where the issue of returning Pakistanis living illegally in the UK was discussed.
Naqvi said he fully supports freedom of expression, but fake news is a challenge for every country.
No state, he added, can allow individuals abroad to slander or attack its institutions.
