Draft:Adil Raja

Adil Raja (born 1978) is a former officer of the Pakistan Army and currently a journalist.

Early life and education
Raja was born in 1978 in Nowshera to Major (R) Umar Farooq Raja.

In 1996, he enrolled in the Pakistan Military Academy and passed out from the 99th PMA Long Course in August, 1999. Later, he pursued his master's degree in International Relations at the University of Peshawar.

Transition to civilian life and journalism
Following his military career, Raja transitioned into entrepreneurship and established a land acquisition company that engaged in partnerships with prominent real estate organizations, including the Defence Housing Authority (DHA).

Forced exile and persecution
In April 2022, during the 2022 Pakistani constitutional crisis, Adil Raja encountered scrutiny for his public statements regarding the military, evidenced by a raid on his house. Therefore, he made the decision to leave Pakistan and continue his efforts from the United Kingdom where his family resided.

Assets Seized
In April 2023, legal cases were filed against Raja, resulting in the confiscation of his assets in Pakistan and the freezing of his bank accounts.

Detained in the UK
In June 2023, Raja was taken into custody under the United Kingdom’s “Section 59 of the Terrorism Act 2000" by detectives of Counter-Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE) from his home for reportedly inciting someone to engage in terrorist activities, whether entirely or partially outside the United Kingdom.  However, he was released a few hours later by the British police after being questioned and granted bail.

Court Martial
Adil Raja faced a development on November 25, 2023, as he was court-martialed through [https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/18/pakistans-controversial-army-act-what-is-it-how-does-it-work#:~:text=The%20court%20that%20hears%20cases,Advocate%20General%20(JAG)%20branch. Field General Court Martial] (FGCM) under the Pakistan Army Act, 1952. According to ISPR reports, he received a 14-year 'rigorous imprisonment' sentence in Pakistan for violation of the regulations outlined in the Official Secrets Act of 1923 pertaining to espionage and acts prejudicial to the safety and interest of the state.

Terrorism Case Dropped
After an eight-month-long investigation, the British Counter-Terrorism Police dropped the terrorism case against Adil Raja in March 2024 due to insufficient evidence of his involvement in terrorist activities. No-Further-Action will take place in this case. Raja was initially arrested in June 2023 under Section 59 of the Terrorism Act 2000 but was released on bail at that time. As per a press release from Adil Raja's solicitors, Raja fully cooperated with the investigation, asserting his innocence and denying the allegations during interviews. He granted access to his devices, which were independently reviewed using protocols akin to those for journalists. Additionally, the Police scrutinized his YouTube broadcasts, paying specific attention to his language and the context in which it was used.

Current Situation
He currently resides in London where he continues to create content for his online audience.