How An ISI Agent Went Rogue: Journalist Explains Story Of Major (Retd) Adil Raja

Journalist Kamran Yousaf has exposed the background of social media influencer and retired major of Pakistan Army, Adil Raja, who has been vocal in his support of former premier Imran Khan and is one of the chief 'rabble rousers' in Khan's anti-establishment narrative. Most recently, major (retired) Adil Raja claimed that incumbent army chief Gen. Asim Munir was allegedly involved in plotting an assassination attempt on Khan. But analyst Kamran Yousaf discussed how Adil Raja, a former military officer and ISI 'agent', has gone rogue: and he questions Pakistan's vaunted intelligence agencies as to why their 'assets' always betray them so spectactularly.

In his latest vlog, Kamran Yousaf briefly elaborates on the history of Adil Raja's nearly two decades of service in the Pakistan Army, but focuses more on his employment by the ISI after his retirement. Yousaf says that Raja was being groomed to become Pakistan's answer to major (retired) Gauruv Arya, a former Indian military official who is now a mainstream media pundit and regularly attacks Pakistan in his commentary.

In the beginning, Raja's tweets were mostly focused on India and countering India's anti-Pakistan narratives. "At that time, he was an unknown entity," Yousaf says in his vlog, adding that he had commented on one of the tweets Raja sent out, after which he was politely requested not to challenge the retired soldier. Yousaf says he was told that Raja was part of the 'fifth generation warfare' capability that was being nurtured by then army chief Gen. (retired) Bajwa and former ISI chief Lt. Gen. (retired) Faiz Hameed.

Adil Raja was also made the spokesman of Pakistan Ex Servicemen Society (PESS), but 'went rogue' after Imran Khan was removed from power in a vote of no confidence in April 2022. When he started attacking the military establishment and specifically Gen. (retired) Bajwa, he was forced to resign from his spokesman position, and his family was also reportedly harassed.

In late April 2022, he went 'missing' but turned up in London. Since then, he has been regularly publishing vlogs containing tantalising 'information' about behind-the-scenes dealings going on in the upper echelons of the Pakistani establishment. However, much of his sourced information turned out to be dubious at best, and misleading at worst.

While Raja is obviously part of the social media ecosystem cultivated to represent Pakistan as a pro-Imran Khan echo chamber, Kamran Yousaf says that Pakistan's establishment and intelligence apparatus must introspect why their own assets, that they prepare with such careful investment, always turn around to hurt and haunt them.

Since his self-imposed exile in London, Adil Raja has faced a number of legal troubles. He has been sued for defamation in UK courts by Pakistani actress Kubra Khan as well as by, or on behalf of, Pakistan Army officers. The case by Kubra Khan was taken back after Raja apologised to her on social media. Actress Mehwish Hayat had also approached the Sindh high court to seek protection from a 'smear campaign' of which Raja was alleged to be a part.