Federal govt to seek review of SC verdict in Daniel Pearl case

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Saturday decided to file a review petition in the Supreme Court against its verdict in the abduction and murder case of US journalist Daniel Pearl, ARY News reported.

A spokesman at the attorney general’s office, while confirming the report, said that the federal government will file an application in the Supreme Court (SC) to become a party in the Daniel Pearl murder case.

He maintained that the government will plead with the apex court to form a larger bench for hearing of the review petition.

Earlier on January 29, a day after the Supreme Court had acquitted Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, the principal accused in the murder case of American journalist Daniel Pearl, the Sindh government moved a petition seeking review of its decision.

The provincial government through its prosecutor general had moved the petition in the apex court, pleading with it to review its decision of acquitting the main accused.

Headed by Justice Mushir Alam, a three-judge bench that also comprised Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and Justice Yahya Afridi, had ordered that Mr Sheikh, Fahad Naseem Ahmed, Syed Salman and Sheikh Muhammad Adil be released forthwith, if not required to be detained in connection with any other case.