LONDON — Britain’s Counter Terrorism Policing unit has taken over an investigation into the Shahzad Akbar attack after Mirza Shahzad Akbar, a former adviser to ex-Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, said he was assaulted at his home in the Cambridge area, Dec. 24. Police said the inquiry was moved from local investigators to the Metropolitan Police’s counterterror command because the assault appeared “highly targeted,” and after Akbar reported a separate incident at his residence, Dec. 31, Jan. 3, 2026.
Counterterrorism officers said they are investigating an assault on “a man in his 50s” in the Cambridge area the morning of Dec. 24 and that they do not believe there is any wider threat to the public. A Scotland Yard spokesperson said investigators are keeping “an open mind” about motivation, and no arrests have been made. Police asked witnesses or anyone with relevant information to contact them in confidence on 0800 789 321, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
Details of the handover have largely emerged through Pakistani and British reporting. In an account of the transfer, Geo News said Cambridge police passed an evidence file that includes CCTV footage, photographs, Akbar’s statement and local forensic material to Counter Terrorism Policing London.
The News also reported the case was transferred, quoting a counterterror spokesman confirming the unit is leading the inquiry.
Shahzad Akbar attack: what is known about the Dec. 24 assault and the Dec. 31 allegation
Dec. 24: Akbar said an unknown man came to his door, asked, “Are you Shahzad Akbar?” and then assaulted him.
Dec. 31: Akbar said his home was damaged and that attackers attempted to set it on fire.
Akbar said the attacker wore clothing that looked like construction or waste-collection gear. He and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf figures have said the Shahzad Akbar attack left him with facial injuries, including a fractured nose and a jaw fracture, and that he was treated in hospital. He also warned supporters that images circulating online purporting to show his injuries were “fake and AI-generated.”
In describing the later incident, Akbar said his Cambridgeshire home was “criminally damaged” and that the perpetrators attempted to set it on fire, calling it a deliberate effort to cause serious harm. His Dec. 31 allegation was carried by Pakistani outlets including The Express Tribune’s report on his statement and Dawn’s account of the alleged arson attempt.
A longer trail of claims and investigations
The Shahzad Akbar attack comes after earlier episodes Akbar has tied to his political profile. In November 2023, he reported being struck by an “acidic liquid” at his home in England — an incident Arab News covered after his public account and The Independent reported at the time.
Akbar later pursued legal action connected to that earlier case. The London-based law firm Leigh Day said he intended to bring a High Court claim alleging state involvement in the 2023 acid attack — an allegation Pakistan has previously denied.
British police have not publicly alleged a motive in the Cambridge case, and investigators have stressed the inquiry remains open. For now, police say the investigation remains active, and anyone with information about the Shahzad Akbar attack is urged to contact officers.
