WASHINGTON: United States top official strongly respond over the Pakistani court decision on American journalist Daniel Pearl murder case.
United States (US) on Saturday lauded the Pakistani government’s decision to file an appeal against Sindh High Court (SHC) decision to overturn death and prison sentences of convicts in American journalist Daniel Pearl murder case.
In a message posted on the twitter account of Alice Wells, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary at the State Department’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA), the US welcomed a statement from the country on the matter on April 03 and the decision from Sindh government.
The message attributed to Alice Wells read: “We welcome Pakistan’s April 3 statement and the Sindh government’s decision to continue to detain those responsible for Daniel Pearl’s kidnapping and murder and to mount a strong appeal.”
She said that the perpetrators of this horrific act of terrorism will not escape justice.
It is pertinent to mention here that on Friday, Sindh government decided to file an appeal against the Sindh High Court (SHC) verdict, overturning the death sentence of a prime suspect, Ahmed Omer Saeed Sheikh and acquittal of three other convicts in American journalist Daniel Pearl murder case.
According to a statement issued link from interior ministry, it said that the ministry was aware of the SHC decision in Daniel Pearl murder case and the federal government had expressed its concern over the decision.
It said that the provincial government has decided to move the Supreme Court of Pakistan against the decision. “An appeal in this regard will be filed at the apex court in the next week,” the interior ministry said.
We have asked the provincial authorities to use best available resources to plead their case against the decision, it said adding that they were also asked to consult with attorney general of Pakistan on the matter.
Unless an appeal is filed against the accused, they would remain imprisoned under Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance (MPO).
It is pertinent to mention here that the Sindh High Court (SHC) announced its verdict on Thursday on the appeals filed by four convicts in the case of the slain American journalist Daniel Pearl.