ISLAMABAD: The Balochistan police told the Supreme Court on Monday that a provincial assembly member who fatally ran over a traffic sub-inspector on June 20 in Quetta was also booked in a 2009 case of kidnapping and extortion.

During the course of investigation, it transpired that accused Abdul Majeed Achakzai had also been nominated in another case, FIR No. 156/2009, under Sections 365 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code, read with Section 6-K of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997, lodged with Police Station Satellite Town, Quetta, said a three-page report submitted by Balochistan Police Inspector General Ahsan Mehboob.

Section 365 of the PPC deals with kidnapping and Section 6-K of the ATA with extortion of money or property.

The Quetta Anti-Terrorism Court-I judge had on June 26 granted a seven-day police remand of Mr Achakzai after he was arrested in the case of the policeman’s death, the report said, adding that during the investigation the suspect also failed to present a valid driving licence.

Police submit report to SC on Quetta accident

The report was furnished before the Human Rights Cell of the Supreme Court in compliance with directives issued by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar who had taken suo motu notice, before proceeding for Umra, of the killing of the traffic sergeant, Sub-Inspector Haji Attaullah, at Quetta’s GPO Chowk.

The chief justice had sought a comprehensive report from the Balochistan IG and also ordered the Dera Ghazi Khan district police chief to ensure that the family of the deceased officer did not face any threat or pressure.

Balochistan Assembly Speaker Raheela Durrani was also intimated about the arrest of the lawmaker.

According to reports, Sergeant Attaullah was hit by a rashly driven Toyota Land Cruiser at 7.04pm on June 20 when he was performing his duty at the GPO Chowk on Zarghoon Road.

The driver escaped from the scene, while also hitting one Abdul Ghafoor on a bicycle who was slightly injured. Another vehicle, driven by Dad Mohammad, was also damaged during the accident.

The injured official was taken to the Sandeman Provincial Hospital where he died, the police report said, also confirming that after the collection of evidence by the investigating officer, it transpired that the vehicle, No. BD-4381, involved in the accident was being driven by MPA Achakzai. Moreover, no skid marks were observed on the crime scene, reflecting no effort to stop the vehicle by the driver.

A technical report from the Quetta motor vehicle examiner on June 29 traced no mechanical or technical fault in the vehicle.

The accused was arrested on June 24 at his home in Satellite Town and presented before the Quetta judicial magistrate-III who remanded him in police custody for five days.

The report said the accused was in police custody till July 5 and the investigation was under way.

Departmental action

The police report said action had been initiated against the Quetta Civil Lines station house officer for his failure to identify the driver involved in the accident before lodging the first information report. A show-cause notice has been issued to the SHO who has been suspended. The Quetta deputy inspector general has entrusted the inquiry to the superintendent of police, Saddar Division, to ascertain why the FIR No. 92/2017 of June 20 was registered against an unknown person and whether the injured sergeant and passer-by were shifted to the hospital in time and proper medical care provided to them.

Action has also been initiated against the supervisory officer, the City Division SP, operations, and an explanation has been sought from him over his failure to monitor and supervise the case at the initial stage. The acting SP, investigation, has also been suspended and is facing action for his failure to arrest the accused till June 23 after he was identified and nominated in the case on June 21.

The Balochistan Special Branch DIG had been asked to carry out a fact-finding inquiry against the police officials responsible for lodging the FIR against an unknown person and not arresting the accused on the crime scene, the report said.

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2017