Sindh Govt not to release convicts in Pearl murder case

Islamabad, December 27

Pakistan’s Sindh province government has decided not to release British-born Al-Qaeda leader Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and his three aides, accused of kidnapping and murdering US journalist Daniel Pearl, in view of a Supreme Court order, according to a media report.

In a surprise move, a two-judge Bench of the Sindh High Court on Thursday directed security agencies not to keep Sheikh and other accused under “any sort of detention” and declared all notifications of the Sindh Government related to their detention “null and void”. The court observed that the four men’s detention was “illegal”.

The court, however, had clarified that the accused should not be released if there is a Supreme Court restraining order regarding their detention.

Citing its sources, the ‘Express Tribune’ newspaper said the provincial government would not release the men in view of the Supreme Court’s September 28 order.

A three-judge apex court Bench, which is hearing the appeal by the Sindh Government and the family of the slain journalist against the acquittal of Sheikh by the Sindh High Court in April, had on September 28 noted that till the next date of hearing, the accused shall not be released.

A senior government official said the apex court order had not been specifically recalled. — PTI