SC summons Sindh's reply over allegations against Pearl case accused

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday summoned reply of the Sindh government about terrorism allegations against Ahmed Omer Saeed Shaikh, the main accused in Daniel Pearl murder case, ARY News reported.

Moreover, documents with regard to terrorism allegations against Shaikh were submitted in the court.

“If the prosecution had such strong case, why it failed to produce it in the court,” the bench questioned.

Faisal Siddiqui, the counsel of the parents of Daniel Pearl, submitted a letter of Omer Saeed in the court.

Defence counsel told the court that accused Omer Saeed Shaikh had wrote the letter to the Chief Justice of Sindh High Court from the jail. He had sought hearing of his case, while saying that he was imprisoned in jail for last 17 years, defence lawyer said.

The bench adjourned further hearing of the case till tomorrow (Thursday).

The apex court had earlier heard contentions of the defence lawyer while hearing appeals against acquittal of the accused by the Sindh High Court in Daniel Pearl murder case.

A bench of the top court headed by Justice Mushir Alam hearing appeals filed by the Sindh government and the family of Daniel Pearl.

Four convicts of the murder case, British national Ahmed Omer Saeed, co-accused Fahad Naseem, Salman Saqib and Sheikh Adil had moved the Sindh High Court (SHC) in 2002 challenging their convictions handed down by the Hyderabad Anti-Terrorism Court after finding them guilty of abducting and killing American Journalist Daniel Pearl.

The high court overturned the verdict of the ATC and acquitted convicts on April 02, 2020.

The 38-year-old South Asia bureau chief of The Wall Street Journal, Daniel Pearl, was researching for a story on religious extremists in January 2002 in Karachi, when he was abducted and slain.