London, July 18, 2025 — In a significant development ahead of a high-profile defamation trial set to begin on July 21, former Pakistani Army officer and political commentator Adil Farooq Raja has reported that defence witnesses in his case are being subjected to intimidation and harassment by individuals allegedly linked to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Raja, who is facing a defamation lawsuit filed by Brigadier (Retd) Rashid Naseer, a former ISI Sector Commander in Punjab, stated that witnesses set to testify on his behalf are being pressured through the targeting of their extended family members in Pakistan — many of whom they have not been in contact with for years.
“The witnesses in my defence are being harassed by targeting their relatives in Pakistan,” Raja said in a statement released via social media. “This harassment follows a cyber attack on the witnesses and a smear campaign orchestrated by Pakistani state-sponsored social media entities.”
Raja’s legal team has formally notified the presiding judge of these developments. The alleged acts of intimidation come just days before the case is due to go to trial at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, raising serious concerns about witness safety and judicial integrity in a case that already involves sensitive geopolitical implications.
Case Summary
- Case Title: Brigadier Rashid Naseer v. Adil Farooq Raja
- Claim Number: QB-2022-002648
- Court: High Court of Justice – King’s Bench Division, Media and Communications List
- Trial Dates: 21–24 July 2025
- Venue: Royal Courts of Justice, London
The trial pits Raja — a vocal critic of Pakistan’s military establishment — against Brigadier Rashid Naseer, a retired intelligence officer with alleged involvement in several high-profile human rights abuse cases. Raja’s defence is expected to invoke the truth and public interest defences under the UK Defamation Act, with witness testimony playing a central role in substantiating his claims.
The reported intimidation attempts underscore the transnational reach of state-backed coercion tactics, and may potentially prompt calls for further legal protection for witnesses and scrutiny of Pakistan’s alleged interference in foreign judicial proceedings.
The trial is scheduled to begin on Monday, July 21, 2025.
