LONDON: Former special assistant to the prime minister (SAPM) Mirza Shahzad Akbar was attacked in the United Kingdom, where he has been living in self-imposed exile since April 2022, leaving him “bruised and fractured”, it emerged on Thursday.

“I have been attacked and been in the hospital and with the police. Bruised and fractured [sic],” the ex-SAPM said in text messages after Dawn reached out to him, seeking confirmation of a post about the incident on PTI’s X account.

The PTI’s post at 9:50pm PKT on Wednesday said Akbar was attacked at his house in Cambridge in the morning.

“The attacker punched him repeatedly in the face, as a result of which his nose and jaw were fractured,” it said.

“Local police have collected all details, and an investigation is underway,” the party said.

Akbar, who was the accountability adviser in the PTI government, was previously also attacked in November 2023 at his home in Hertfordshire.

The attacker, a masked individual, had thrown acidic liquid at Akbar, the former SAPM had shared in a post on X, adding that, “I will not be intimidated nor bow down to those who are doing this”.

Akbar had linked the attack to the Al Qadir Trust case against PTI founder Imran Khan, alleging that security agencies were harassing him to give evidence against the ex-premier.

Separately, he had told Dawn, “I have been sent messages in recent months by people who are clearly not happy with me. I’ve been told to mend my ways or else…”

Akbar had initiated legal action against the government of Pakistan in a UK court in April 2024 over the acid attack. He told Dawn that he had also sent notices to the Pakistan High Commission in UK and other Pakistani officials.

However, in May 2024, the Foreign Office had “categorically rejected” what it said were “preposterous” claims by Akbar about the alleged involvement of state officials in the 2023 acid attack on him.

Meanwhile, Akbar has been declared a proclaimed offender by an Islamabad court in a case pertaining to alleged controversial statements made on X. Subsequently, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met United Kingdom High Commissioner Jane Marriott, handing over extradition papers for Akbar.

While Pakistan does not have a formal extradition treaty with the UK, both countries do have an agreement in place whereby London can repatriate Pakistani nationals involved in crimes and violating immigration laws.