A sudden and controversial police raid on the residence of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) leader and presidential candidate Mehmood Khan Achakzai in Quetta, Pak occupied Balochistan has ignited a fresh wave of discussions, prompting allegations of political interference by the Pakistan Army. The incident comes at a critical juncture, just days after Achakzai declared his candidacy for the upcoming Presidential elections to be held on March 9, garnering support from Imran Khan’s PTI and the Sunni Ittehad Council coalition.
Mehmood Khan Achakzai, known for his vocal criticism of the military’s role in politics, recently accused the Pakistan Army of meddling in political affairs and rigging elections to manipulate results against the will of the people. This outspoken stance has placed him in the spotlight and drawn attention from various quarters.
Raid without magistrate order
The controversial raid, which PkMAP claims was conducted without a proper magistrate order, took place at Mehmood Khan Achakzai’s residence. According to the party’s central secretary general, Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal, the operation resulted in the arrest of a personal guard in possession of a licensed weapon. The absence of a magistrate’s order has raised legal questions surrounding the raid, and PkMAP is denouncing the actions, labelling them as an infringement on the sanctity of Achakzai’s home.
Meanwhile, former Caretaker Information Minister of Balochistan, Jan Achakzai said that the raid was conducted to evict the illegal occupant in front of Achakzai’s house and the guards were arrested for obstructing the police from dispensing their duty. However, the timing of the action narrates a completely different story.
Accordingly, during a press conference, Ziaratwal emphasized the lack of legal justification for the raid, pointing out that a substantial police force was involved. The timing of the operation is significant, occurring shortly after Achakzai’s public condemnation of electoral rigging and his identification of those responsible in the National Assembly. Hence, the PkMAP views this incident as a deliberate attempt to intimidate its leadership and stifle its voice against perceived electoral injustices.