Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif was threatened and heckled by an unidentified individual at a London ground station near Heathrow Airport, according to a video that has gone viral on social media. Sources close to the PML-N leader confirmed the incident, saying the video showing the threats and mistreatment is real.
In the video, the individual can be heard hurling abuses and threatening Asif with a “knife attack.” The Pakistani government has taken notice of the incident and instructed the Pakistan High Commission in London to contact British Transport Police, calling it a serious matter that requires investigation.
Asif, currently in London on a private visit, also met with PML-N President Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz. Nawaz condemned the incident, attributing such actions to individuals “trained and groomed” to harass others. He praised Asif, calling him a “fighter” who has faced many challenges with courage.
This incident is one of several recent cases where Pakistani officials and political leaders have faced harassment in London. Last month, former Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa’s car was attacked by PTI supporters at London’s Middle Temple. Similarly, in August 2023, Judge Humayun Dilawar, who sentenced PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case, was followed by PTI supporters while attending a training course at the University of Hull. PML-N leaders Marriyum Aurangzeb and Hina Pervaiz Butt have also faced heckling incidents in London by individuals reportedly associated with PTI.