CJP takes notice of Quetta traffic warden’s death

QUETTA: The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, has taken suo moto notice of the death of a traffic warden in Quetta who was killed when a vehicle allegedly belonging to a Balochistan legislator ran over him earlier this month.

Before proceeding to perform Umra, the chief justice ordered the inspector general of police, Balochistan, to submit a report on the incident within three days.

Justice Nisar has also directed district police officer (DPO), Dera Ghazi Khan, to ensure that no threat or pressure is exerted on the family of the deceased traffic police official.

Police on Saturday arrested MPA Abdul Majeed Achakzai and obtained his five-day remand for allegedly running over the traffic warden on a busy Quetta road last week.

The incident took place on June 20 when a fast moving vehicle belonging to Achakzai hit and ran over the traffic warden identified as Sub Inspector Haji Attaullah Dashti at the GPO Chowk. The warden suffered serious injuries and later died at hospital.

Initially, the police registered a case of accident against unidentified people. But after the CCTV footage of the accident went viral on social media and was repeatedly shown by TV channels, Inspector General of Police, Balochistan, Ahsan Mehboob, and other senior police officials decided to lodge a manslaughter case against the MPA of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party.

Achakzai had also appeared on some TV channels and provided some justifications.

He admitted to driving the vehicle when the accident took place and also expressed his desire to settle the issue with the victim’s family as per tribal traditions.  He expressed his willingness to pay the blood money to the deceased warden’s family and compensation to an injured passer-by. As the family of the late policeman lives in Dera Ghazi Khan, the MPA decided to go there along with tribal elders to meet them. However, he was arrested prior to his departure. Achakzai was elected a member of the Balochistan Assembly in the 2013 elections from a Qila Abdullah constituency (PB 13), a private TV channel reported on Wednesday.