London: A controversial legal battle is set to begin at the Royal Courts of Justice in London this July, as Pakistani whistleblower and former army officer Adil Farooq Raja defends himself against a defamation lawsuit filed by Brigadier Rashid Naseer, a senior official of Pakistan’s intelligence agency.
Raja, a war-wounded veteran turned investigative journalist, has denounced the case as a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP), warning that it represents a dangerous precedent of foreign regimes using UK legal systems to suppress journalism and dissent.
The trial, scheduled from 21–24 July 2025 under Case No. QB-2022-002648, has drawn international attention as a test of how British courts respond to alleged transnational repression. Raja asserts that the lawsuit is a politically motivated attempt by Pakistan’s intelligence establishment to silence him after he exposed their role in political engineering, media control, and human rights abuses.
“The Pakistani intelligence agency is gaslighting a British court,” Raja stated. “They are falsely presenting their officers as neutral, apolitical professionals, while in reality, they are at the center of political manipulation and repression in Pakistan.”
Raja’s record includes nearly two decades in military intelligence, counterterrorism, and political analysis, especially in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region. He fled to the UK in 2022 after facing repeated threats, raids on his home, the abduction of his mother, frozen bank accounts, fabricated charges, and an in-absentia court martial. He has also survived assassination attempts on UK soil, as confirmed by local law enforcement.
UK’s Southeast Counter Terrorism Police previously investigated and cleared Raja of Pakistani government allegations. Despite this, the lawsuit refers not to court records, but to “media reports” to justify serious accusations including espionage and treason.
The UK High Court has granted Raja permission to attend the trial remotely from a police-protected location. Human rights advocates and media freedom groups are calling on British journalists to attend and report on the trial, warning of broader implications for global free speech and judicial sovereignty.
“This case is more than an attack on me—it’s a warning shot to journalists everywhere,” Raja said. “If foreign intelligence agencies can manipulate UK courts, no truth-teller is safe.”
Trial Details:
• 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
• Location: Royal Courts of Justice, London
Press Dossier and Background Materials: www.SoldierSpeaks.org
Media Inquiries: sponsoradilraja@gmail.com
General Inquiries: info@soldierspeaks.org
