Staff Reporter
QUETTA: Asghar Khan Achakzai, Provincial President of the Awami National Party (ANP) in Balochistan, was taken into police custody in Chaman on Wednesday after a local district and sessions court rejected his interim bail petition. Authorities executed the arrest in connection with an ongoing investigation into a criminal case registered against him.
Following the arrest, senior ANP provincial leaders—including Ubaidullah Abid and Zamrak Khan Achakzai—held an emergency press conference in Quetta to express grave concern over the judicial outcome and the police action.
Party leaders rejected the allegations against Achakzai, describing his inclusion in the case as a politically motivated attempt to target a prominent regional figure. Ubaidullah Abid claimed that the complainant in the case had previously submitted a sworn affidavit disassociating Achakzai from the alleged incident.
Defending his record, ANP leaders emphasized Achakzai’s long-standing role in resolving tribal disputes across Pashtun and Baloch areas and mediating local conflicts.
Announcing their strategy, ANP leader Zamrak Khan Achakzai stated that the party respects the parliament and the judiciary, but will challenge the trial court’s order in the High Court. While appealing to party workers and supporters to maintain peace, the leadership confirmed that further legal steps and a political course of action will be announced following detailed consultations with their legal team.
