Major (Retd) Adil Raja, a former officer of the Pakistan Army now living in exile in the United Kingdom, has made explosive allegations against Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, General Asim Munir. In an interview with India Today, Raja claimed that Munir is orchestrating political chaos in Pakistan to pave the way for himself to become president and for his brother-in-law to be installed as prime minister.
Raja, who was court-martialed in absentia and sentenced to 14 years under Pakistan’s Official Secrets Act, accused Munir of seeking totalitarian control, likening the alleged plan to former military ruler Pervez Musharraf’s era. “The idea is to stage a clean-up drive, a Musharraf-style accountability push, and seize full control under the guise of reform,” he said.
The allegations come amid a defamation lawsuit filed in the UK by Brigadier Rashid Nasir, the ISI’s Punjab sector commander. Raja described it as a SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation), claiming it is the military’s “backup plan” after the UK’s counterterrorism police cleared him of terrorism charges following a nine-month probe.
Calling it “lawfare,” Raja accused Munir and DG ISI Lt Gen Asim Malik of exploiting the UK’s lenient libel laws to suppress criticism and cover up military crimes, including judicial interference, corruption, and repression of civil liberties. “The ISI is using all its power to silence this. They just don’t want any coverage because it exposes their soft belly,” he said.
He further claimed that his family in Pakistan has been targeted in retaliation. His mother is reportedly under effective house arrest, with her passport revoked and other family members also stripped of travel rights. “My entire family’s nationalities have been blocked,” he said.
In a chilling revelation, Raja also stated that one of his case witnesses, Shahzad Akbar, was attacked with acid in the UK, an act he attributes to ISI-linked operatives. “This is more than legal pressure — it’s a campaign of intimidation,” he warned.
Raja insisted his only ‘crime’ was exposing the military’s political grip over Pakistan, including its alleged involvement in regime changes and judicial manipulation. “I committed the cardinal sin — I exposed the crimes of my own institution,” he said.
The claims have further intensified scrutiny of Pakistan’s civil-military dynamics, with observers viewing them as part of a larger pattern of increasing authoritarianism under General Munir’s leadership.
