QUETTA: A model court has acquitted former legislator of the Balochistan Assembly Abdul Majeed Achakzai in traffic policeman’s murder case for lack of evidence.

Judge Dost Muhammad Mandokhel of the Quetta model court, while pronouncing the verdict on Friday, acquitted Mr Achakzai, a former Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party lawmaker, in the absence of enough evidence against him in the murder case.

Mr Achakzai was present in the courtroom along with his lawyers Kamran Murtaza, Khalilur Rehman, Noor Jan Buledi and Jaffar Awan when the judgement was pronounced.

Traffic sergeant Ataullah was killed when a fast-moving vehicle hit him at GPO Chowk in June 2017. The ex-lawmaker was returning from the Balochistan Assembly after attending a session when the vehicle hit the traffic policeman, who was performing his duty at the place.

Later, police registered a case against the member of the Balochistan Assembly when CCTV footage of the fatal incident went viral.

He was arrested on June 25, 2017 from his residence on charges of murder, attempted murder and terrorism.

The Civil Lines police submitted a challan to an anti-terrorism court, but the case was later shifted to the model court when the terrorism charge was withdrawn for want of evidence. The case remained under trial before the model court for three years.

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2020