QUETTA: The bullet-riddled body of Asad Khan Achakzai, a missing leader of the Awami National Party (ANP), was recovered from the Killi Nosahar area of the city on Saturday.

Asad Khan had gone missing on Sept 25, 2020 while coming to Quetta from Chaman to attend a meeting of the ANP.

Deputy Inspector General of Quetta police Azhar Akram said that police had arrested a Levies Force official in the killing case of Asad Khan.

“Israr Ahmed was arrested from Sariab Road area on Saturday. He is behind the killing of Asad Khan and robbery of his car. The deceased’s car has been recovered from his possession,” the DIG said at a press conference.

He said that during interrogation, the ac­­cused had confessed to having snatched the car from Asad Khan and having killed him.

“Asad Khan gave a lift to the Levies Force official who killed him 10km away from the Killi Nosahar and dumped his body in a deep ditch,” the DIG said.

A police team accompanied by a magistrate visited the area, recovered the body and shifted it to the civil hospital for post-mortem. The five-month-old body was mutilated.

ANP joint secretary Rasheed Khan Nasar has confirmed the murder of Asad Khan and said: “Asad Khan is no more and his body has been recovered.”

Asad Khan was cousin of the provincial president of ANP Mohammad Asghar Achakzai, who is also parliamentary leader of the party in the Balochistan Assembly.

The ANP had been observing protest since October last year for recovery of Asad Khan.

Meanwhile, provincial general secretary of the ANP Babit Kaka has called for a shutterdown strike in Quetta and other districts of Balochistan on Sunday in protest against the kidnapping and murder of Asad Khan. He also announced that the party would observe week-long mourning in the province and its flag would fly at half-mast at the party offices.

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2021