Daniel Pearl murder-kidnapping case: Accused acquitted by court re-arrested for another three months

KARACHI: The authorities on Friday ordered the four men, including a British-born Islamic militant Ahmed Omer Sheikh, set to be released after being acquitted by a court over the murder of US journalist Daniel Pearl for another three months under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance.

On Thursday, the court acquitted three of them but sentenced Ahmed Omer Shaikh to seven years for kidnapping-murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Pearl, 38, who was investigating militants in the city of Karachi after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States when he was kidnapped in January 2002. He was beheaded weeks later.

According to a notification issued by additional chief secretary, home department, Sindh, whereas, according to the letter received from Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) Criminal Investigation Agency (CIA), Sindh, Karachi, wherein he has reported that appeal vide constitutional petition No68/2012 of Ahmed Omer Sheikh, son of Saeed Ahmed, along with co-accused Ahmed Umair Sheikh, son of Saeed Ahmed Sheikh, Fahad Nasim Ahmed, son of Nasim Ahmed, Syed Salman Saqib, son of Syed Abdul Rauf, and Sheikh Muhammad Adil, son of Abdul Shakoor, in the Daniel Pearl case has been accepted and decided by honorable High Court, the DIGP CIA Karachi has informed it is apprehended that the release of said accused will create serious law and order situation, therefore, the DIGP CIA has recommended that they may be detained for a period of three months.

It further reads the Government of Sindh on the basis of request and considering merits of the case is satisfied that there is serious apprehension of public safety, in case the persons are released, that they may act against the interest of the country and public and that their presence at any public place is likely to pose grave threat to the public safety and cause breach of peace and tranquility.

“And now therefore, in exercise of the power under Section 3(1) of the West Pakistan Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960, the Government of Sindh has sufficient reason to believe that Ahmed Omer Sheikh, Fahad Nasim Ahmed, Syed Salman Saqib and Sheikh Muhammad Adil be arrested and detained for a period of three months from the date of arrest. Their custody shall be placed under the Senior Superintendent of Central Prison, Karachi,” it stated.