Islamabad: The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) on Thursday allowed shiftingDaniel Pearl murder case accused Ahmed Omer Saeed Shaikh to Lahore’s KotLakhpat Jail.
According to details, a three-judge bench, headed by Justice Umar AtaBandial, directed the Punjab chief secretary to appear before court overthe next hearing.
During the proceedings, an additional advocate general told the bench thatthe accused had moved a petition to shift him to Punjab.
Court ordered the government to provide all facilities to accused due tothe continued detention of Omar Saeed Shaikh and other accused despitetheir acquittal in case.
Later, court adjourned the hearing for two weeks.
Background
In February, 2021, the apex court ordered to shift Omar Sheikh, the primesuspect in Daniel Pearl murder case from a death cell to a state rest house.
SC ordered that all detainees in the case should be brought to a commonbarrack of jail for two days after which they should be kept at agovernment rest house.
On January 28, 2021 Supreme Court had dismissed the appeal of the Sindhgovernment and acquitted prime accused of the 2002 murder of Americanjournalist Daniel Pearl.
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A three member bench headed by Justice Mushir Alam and comprising JusticeSardar Tariq Masood and Justice Yahya Afridi announced the verdict over theappeal of Sindh government against the Sindh High Court (SHC) April 2020decision and ordered release of British national Ahmad Omar Sheikh.
On December 24, 2020 the Sindh High Court had declared the notification ofdetention of four accused as null and void in Daniel Pearl murder case.
Court while ordering immediate release of Ahmed Omer Saeed Shaikh,co-accused Salman Saqib, Fahad Naseem and Sheikh Adil, directed relevantauthorities to put their names on the Exit Control List (ECL).
Sindh Home Department had kept the accused under detention even after SHChad ordered to release them.
The Hyderabad’s Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in 2002 had handed deathsentence to main accused Ahmed Omer Saeed Shaikh and life sentence to otherthree accused after finding them guilty of abducting and killing DanielPearl.
On April 02, 2020, the decision of ATC was overturned by SHC commuted thedeath sentence of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh to seven years and acquittedthree others who were serving life terms.
Daniel Pearl was on an assignment in Karachi in January 2002, when he wasabducted and slain.
