Awami National Party’s Balochistan president Asghar Khan Achakzai was arrested on Wednesday after a district and sessions court in Chaman cancelled his interim bail in a case linked to the killing of a local man last year.
The arrest drew a strong reaction from the legal community. The Balochistan Bar Council condemned the bail cancellation and announced a boycott of courts on Thursday, October 22.
Achakzai, who has also served as a member of the Balochistan Assembly, was taken into custody inside the courtroom and shifted to the Chaman bypass police lock-up, according to police.
The case against Asghar Khan Achakzai
Police said the cases against Achakzai were registered on the complaint of Zahir Shah, the father of Taimoor Shah, who was killed during a tribal dispute in Chaman about a year ago. The cases were lodged under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which covers murder, and Section 365, which covers kidnapping.
Dawn reported the case as a road accident matter and quoted Achakzai’s counsel as saying that Zahir Shah had later submitted an affidavit to the court withdrawing Achakzai’s name. The affidavit stated: “Asghar Khan Achakzai has nothing to do with this case and he is like his brother.”
However, when the case came up for hearing on Wednesday, the court cancelled the ANP leader’s interim bail and ordered his arrest.
Political backlash
ANP leaders strongly criticised the arrest. The party’s parliamentary leader in the Balochistan Assembly, Zamarak Khan Piralizai, expressed serious concern over the bail cancellation and termed it a conspiracy against the leadership. He said Achakzai was being silenced because he had been vocal against unconstitutional measures.
ANP central senior vice-president Dad Khan Achakzai and Engineer Zamarak Khan Achakzai also questioned the legal grounds of the arrest. They said the complainant had submitted a written statement on stamp paper before the court declaring that Asghar Khan Achakzai was not involved in his son’s murder, and demanded that the authorities clarify the legal basis for his detention.
The All Pakistan Lawyers Action Committee, led by Ali Ahmed Kurd, strongly condemned the arrest, describing Achakzai as a peace-loving, democratic and nationalist leader who had consistently advocated for Balochistan’s rights.
The National Party’s Balochistan spokesperson called the arrest questionable and alleged that old cases were being used to harass political leaders and workers. The Pashtunkhwa National Awami Party termed it political victimisation aimed at suppressing political opponents.
Why this arrest matters
The arrest matters because it has united two powerful pressure groups in Balochistan, the lawyers’ community and the political opposition, against the provincial authorities on the same day. A courts boycott disrupts the justice system and signals that the bar does not trust the process in this case. A similar boycott of courts by lawyers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa showed how quickly such protests can escalate.
It also comes at a sensitive time in the province. Achakzai has been an outspoken opposition voice, and he recently warned that the opposition could take to the streets if courts failed to deliver justice. He has also raised the issue of missing persons in the National Assembly, keeping the focus on rights issues in the province. His detention inside a courtroom is likely to deepen the confrontation between the opposition and the state, even as Balochistan continues to face security challenges and political tensions.
How the Balochistan Bar Council’s protest unfolds on Thursday, and whether the authorities offer any clarification on the conflicting accounts of the case, will decide the next phase of this standoff.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Asghar Khan Achakzai arrested?
A district and sessions court in Chaman cancelled his interim bail in cases linked to the killing of Taimoor Shah during a tribal dispute about a year ago. Police then arrested him inside the courtroom.
What did the complainant say in court?
According to his counsel, Zahir Shah, the father of the deceased, submitted an affidavit withdrawing Achakzai’s name from the case, stating that he had nothing to do with it. ANP leaders say a similar statement was submitted on stamp paper.
How did the legal community react?
The Balochistan Bar Council condemned the bail cancellation and announced a boycott of courts on October 22. The All Pakistan Lawyers Action Committee also condemned the arrest.
Who is Asghar Khan Achakzai?
Asghar Khan Achakzai is the president of the Awami National Party’s Balochistan chapter and a former member of the Balochistan Assembly. He is known as an outspoken opposition figure in the province.
