CAMBRIDGE: Former special assistant on accountability to ex-prime minister Imran Khan, Mirza Shahzad Akbar, has dismissed a widely shared image of his injured face as artificial intelligence-generated, while confirming he was hurt in a targeted assault near his home in the British city of Cambridge, police and Akbar said.
sAkbar said the viral photograph circulating on social media was fake and part of a misinformation campaign. He confirmed that he suffered a fractured nasal bone and other facial injuries after being attacked on Wednesday.
According to Akbar, the assailant confirmed his identity before striking him and fleeing the scene. He later described the attacker as appearing to be either a construction worker or a waste collector. He said the assault would not intimidate him and that his resolve had only strengthened.
Cambridge police said they are investigating the incident as a targeted attack and are collecting forensic evidence while reviewing CCTV footage from the area. No arrests have been announced so far, and the suspect has not been identified. Police have assured Akbar that efforts are under way to trace both the attacker and anyone who may have orchestrated the assault.
In a social media statement, Akbar said he could not share images or video evidence due to the ongoing investigation but expressed confidence in the British legal system. He also called on authorities to ensure safety for all individuals, regardless of political differences.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf condemned the attack, saying it raised concerns about the security of political figures living abroad. Akbar has been residing in the United Kingdom since 2022 after leaving Pakistan following the removal of the PTI government and has remained a vocal critic of corruption and alleged rights abuses.
The Cambridge incident is the latest in a series of attacks on Akbar in the UK. In November 2023, he was targeted with an acidic substance outside his home in Hertfordshire, an incident he has previously linked to political pressure stemming from Pakistan.
