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Published 28 Dec, 2017 04:03pm

Majeed Achakzai granted bail in traffic policeman's killing case

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Thursday granted bail to Balochistan MPA Majeed Khan Achakzai in the case concerning the killing of a traffic sergeant in Quetta last June in a traffic incident, court authorities said.

After Achakzai was produced before the court amidst tight security, ATC judge Dawood Khan Nasar ordered the defendant's counsel to submit a Rs500,000 surety bond to secure their client's release — a requirement that was immediately met.

"My client is likely to be released by tomorrow," Achakzai's attorney Noor Jahan Buledi later told DawnNews.

Achakzai is the main accused in the death of traffic sergeant Haji Attaullah, who was run over by the legislator's speeding vehicle in the GPO Chowk area of Quetta earlier this year.

Local police had, however, initially registered a case against 'unknown individuals' — but after a widely-circulated video of the incident identified the vehicle as belonging to Achakzai, law enforcement agencies moved promptly to arrest him.

The Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party politician was produced in front of a judicial magistrate a week after the incident, after which he was remanded to police custody.

Prior to his remand, however, Achakzai had 'confessed' to his involvement in the accident and claimed to have agreed to compensate the family members of the slain traffic policeman.

The bail secured is the second relief Achakzai has received in a span of a week, as days ago he was acquitted in a vehicle tampering case related to the same incident.

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