QUETTA: A judicial magistrate on Friday issued arrest warrant for Mahmood Khan Achakzai, chairman of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party who had contested the presidential election as candidate of opposition parties, for not appearing in a case pertaining to illegal occupation of government land and alleged interference in the duty of government officials.

While issuing the arrest warrant for Mr Achakzai, the judicial magistrate directed the police to produce him before the court on April 27 (today).

The warrant was issued after the PkMAP chief failed to appear in his court on April 22 in connection with the FIR registered by the Gawalmandi police under Sections 447 (criminal trespass), 448 (house-trespass) and 34 (with common intention) of Pakistan Penal Code.

The local administration of Quetta along with the officials of the Board of Revenue and police had conducted a raid on the plot opposite Mr Achakzai’s residence, where a security guard put up resistance to them. The officials claimed that the plot belonged to the government and the police had not raided his residence.

Police directed to produce him in court today

However, the PkMAP has alleged that the police raided the house of the party chief who was the presidential candidate without justification and arrested his personal guard.

PkMAP Central Secretary General Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal said that a heavy police contingent raided his house “without any magistrate” in violation of the people’s right to privacy. He alleged the raid came after Achakzai had exposed rigging in the general elections and his nomination as a presidential candidate by the opposition parties.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2024