Daniel Pearl murder case: SC allows shifting of Omar Sheikh to Kot Lakhpat jail

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday allowed shifting of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, the main accused in murder of Wall Street Journal journalist Daniel Pearl to Kot Lakhpat Jail, Lahore and directed the Punjab government to ensure all facilities to the accused person and submit compliance report on the next date of hearing.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial, heard the matter pertaining to release of accused persons in Daniel Pearl murder case.

Chaudhry Faisal Hussain, Additional Advocate General Punjab, informed the court that the main accused Ahmed Omer Saeed Sheikh had moved an application praying for shifting him to Punjab as his family was living there.

Justice Umer Ata Bandial asked the law officer that the government of Punjab in compliance of court’s order should ensure all best facilities to the accused persons. The judge added that the court was not satisfied with the continued detention of the Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and other accused persons despite their acquittal in the murder case.

Additional Advocate General Punjab informed the court that Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh will be kept in Jail Employees Colony. Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, a member of the bench, asked as to when the accused will be shifted to Punjab, to which, the law officer replied that he will be shifted within a week. During the course of hearing counsel for Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and other accused persons informed the court that Aadil Sheikh, another accused detained in Sindh jail, is sick and he needs proper medical facilities. The court then directed the Sindh government to provide all medical facilities to the accused and submit compliance report in the judges’ chamber for perusal. Later, the case adjourned the hearing for two weeks. Last month on February the court ordered shifting of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh to a government rest house providing facilities for a normal life but without access to outside world through telephone, internet etc.

The court in its order had noted down both the Attorney General and the Advocate General Sindh have expressed that if the detenue is released he will either be taken away or may disappear. “In view of the reservations whilst the detenue is entitled to be freed from custody under the impugned judgment, we order him to be placed in a residential environment like a government rest house providing facilities for a normal life albeit without access to outside world through telephone, internet etc”, the court had stated in its order.

The provincial government should provide the immediate family of the detenue reasonable transportation and accommodation in Karachi”, the court order had further directed.