Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has lodged a formal complaint with the Metropolitan Police after being harassed and threatened with a knife during a train journey near Heathrow Airport.
The London Transport Police confirmed they are investigating the incident, which came to light after video footage was handed over. Four police officers also visited the Pakistan High Commission on Thursday afternoon to discuss the matter with Asif.
Read more: WATCH: Khawaja Asif harassed, threatened with ‘knife attack’ in London
The incident occurred on the Elizabeth Line at around 3:30 PM on Monday, as Asif was traveling to Reading. A group of three to four individuals approached him, with one man making threatening remarks about a knife, as captured in the video. According to the minister, the group used abusive language, filmed him without consent, and issued threats. He stated he did not recognize the individuals involved.
Asif, in London on a private visit, reported the incident to police, urging them to review CCTV footage from the train to identify the suspects. He condemned the harassment as not only a personal attack but also an embarrassment for the 1.7 million British-Pakistani citizens residing in the UK.
Speaking to Geo News, Asif confirmed the threats, noting that the video captured the faces of those involved. He expressed his regret and called the incident both shameful and reflective of a worrying trend of harassment faced by Pakistani officials and political figures in the UK.
In response, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif expressed sorrow over the incident, condemning those involved and attributing such behavior to systematic incitement. He praised Asif as a resilient leader who has always faced adversity with courage.
This is not the first time a Pakistani public figure has been targeted in the UK. In a recent example, former Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa’s vehicle was attacked by PTI supporters in London, and Judge Humayun Dilawar, known for sentencing PTI founder Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case, was chased by similar groups in August 2023.