Abdul Majeed Achakzai gets 10 years as court overturns acquittal in traffic officer’s death

The Balochistan High Court has sentenced former provincial assembly member Abdul Majeed Achakzai to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment in the death of traffic sub-inspector Attaullah, overturning his earlier acquittal.

Justices Muhammad Aamir Nawaz Rana and Abdul Qayum Lehri heard the appeal challenging Achakzai’s acquittal in the case. The bench set aside the additional sessions court’s ruling of September 4, 2020, under which he had been acquitted.

Alongside the prison sentence, the high court ordered Achakzai to pay diyat, or financial compensation, to Attaullah’s legal heirs. It also issued non-bailable arrest warrants and directed that Achakzai be arrested immediately and sent to prison.

Attaullah died after being struck by Achakzai’s Land Cruiser in June 2017. The officer’s death led to the case in which the former lawmaker was initially acquitted, before that decision was challenged on appeal.