Abdul Majeed Achakzai's acquittal overturned in traffic cop's death case

The Balochistan High Court (BHC) has accepted the government’s appeal against the acquittal of Abdul Majeed Achakzai and set aside the acquittal verdict issued on September 4, 2020.

The court sentenced Abdul Majeed Achakzai to 10 years in prison in the case involving the death of Traffic Sub-Inspector Haji Ataullah.

The court found Abdul Majeed Achakzai guilty under Section 320 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and ordered him to pay Diyat (compensation under Islamic law) to the heirs of the deceased.

The High Court also directed authorities to issue non-bailable arrest warrants for Abdul Majeed Achakzai and ordered his immediate arrest and transfer to prison to serve his sentence.

The verdict was announced by a divisional bench comprising Justice Muhammad Aamir Nawaz Rana and Justice Abdul Qayyum Lehri.

The court formally overturned its September 4, 2020 acquittal decision while allowing the government’s appeal.

Read more: Local court acquits Majeed Achakzai in vehicle tampering case

Achakzai has been booked for fatally running over a traffic sub-inspector Haji Attaullah on June 20, 2017 near GPO Chowk in Balochistan provincial capital Quetta.

The CCTV footage of the incident went viral on social media, sparking a campaign demanding the arrest of the legislator after which Achakzai was arrested on June 24.

According to police, traffic sergeant Attaullah died after hit by a rashly driven land cruiser on June 20 while he was performing his duty at the GPO Chowk on Zarghoon Road.

Majeed Khan Achakzai is a close relative of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai. He was elected from the PB-13 constituency in Qilla Abdullah.