The Balochistan High Court (BHC) has sentenced former provincial lawmaker Abdul Majeed Achakzai to 10 years in prison in connection with the 2017 hit-and-run incident that resulted in the death of a traffic police officer in Quetta.

A division bench comprising Justice Muhammad Amir Nawaz Rana and Justice Abdul Qayyum Lehri accepted the provincial government’s appeal against Achakzai’s acquittal and overturned the September 4, 2020 decision of a local court.

The former MPA was convicted under Section 320 of the Pakistan Penal Code for causing the death of Traffic Sub-Inspector Haji Attaullah through rash or negligent driving. The court also ordered him to pay diyat (compensation) to the deceased officer’s legal heirs and directed the issuance of non-bailable arrest warrants for his immediate arrest.

The incident occurred in June 2017 at GPO Chowk, Quetta, when a vehicle struck Attaullah while he was performing his duty. He later died from his injuries.

Achakzai had been acquitted in 2020 due to insufficient evidence. The government subsequently challenged the decision, leading to the latest High Court ruling.