London, Jan 23 (PTI) Britain-based supporters of Pakistan's jailed former prime minister Imran Khan have suffered targeted attacks, which are now being investigated by the Metropolitan Police's counter-terrorism command, a media report said on Friday.
According to 'The Guardian', one arrest has been made in connection with a series of four attacks which began just before Christmas. The attacks took place in Cambridgeshire and Buckinghamshire in England, with one of them involving a firearm.
"Due to the apparently highly targeted nature of all three incidents, they are being investigated by officers from CTP (counter-terrorism policing) London," the Met Police said in a statement in connection with one of the victims.
The force said that a 34-year-old man was arrested on January 5 in connection with this investigation last month.
"He was arrested on suspicion of attempted arson and possession of a firearm. He was arrested at an address in Great Dunmow, Essex, and has subsequently been released on bail until a date in April, pending further inquiries," the statement said.
"At this stage, detectives retain an open mind as to any potential motivation behind any of the three incidents. Officers are also keeping an open mind as to whether the incidents are directly linked, and this remains an active line of inquiry being considered,” it added.
Human rights lawyer Mirza Shahzad Akbar, a former member of Imran Khan's cabinet and a critic of the current regime, told ‘The Guardian’ that he was targeted three times by attackers.
"I am a Pakistani dissident living in exile here. I am an open critic of the Pakistani regime, which is backed by the military," he was quoted as saying.
“I cannot say who did it. However, one thing is certain: it was a targeted attack, and the people who attacked were probably hired by someone. It is a question of the UK police and government's political will to find out who did it, and why," he said.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has not commented on the ongoing investigation.
“The government should publicly condemn these appalling attacks and make clear there is no space for violent intimidation on UK soil," said human rights group Reprieve, which is supporting Akbar.
Imran Khan has been in jail in Pakistan since his arrest in August 2023. He was recently handed a three-year prison term for allegedly illegally selling state gifts.