Arrest Warrant
QUETTA: On Friday, a judicial magistrate issued an arrest warrant for Mahmood Khan Achakzai, the chairman of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and a recent presidential candidate representing the opposition parties.
The warrant was issued due to Achakzai’s failure to appear in court for a case concerning allegations of illegal occupation of government land and purported interference with the duties of government officials.
The court order demanded that the police ensure Achakzai’s presence in court on April 27, the very day the warrant was issued. This legal action followed Achakzai’s absence from a scheduled court appearance on April 22, which was related to an FIR lodged by the Gawalmandi police.
The FIR cites violations under Sections 447 (criminal trespass), 448 (house-trespass), and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
The issue stems from an incident where local administration and revenue officials, accompanied by police, attempted to inspect a plot directly opposite Achakzai’s residence.
During this operation, a confrontation occurred when a security guard, reportedly stationed by Achakzai, resisted the officials. The authorities maintained that the plot was government property, clarifying that their action was not a raid on Achakzai’s personal residence.
In response, the PkMAP has strongly condemned the police action, describing it as an unjustified raid on the home of their party leader, who had recently highlighted alleged electoral fraud and had been nominated as a presidential candidate by opposition parties.
PkMAP’s Central Secretary General, Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal, expressed outrage over the incident, claiming that a substantial police force executed the raid without a magistrate, thereby violating the right to privacy.
Ziaratwal argued that the timing and nature of the raid seemed retaliatory, prompted by Achakzai’s vocal critiques of the general elections and his subsequent presidential nomination.
The incident has sparked controversy, highlighting tensions between government authorities and opposition parties, and raises questions about the use of state power in political disputes.
The unfolding situation calls for Achakzai to address the legal issues he faces while also testing the resilience of political discourse and legal norms in the region. As the court date approaches, all eyes are on how this high-profile case will impact political alignments and the broader narrative of law and governance in the country.
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