A two-judge bench headed by Justice Mohammad Karim Khan Agha also acquitted the three others - Fahad Naseem, Salman Saqib and Sheikh Adil- serving life sentences in the case.
Daniel Pearl killing: Why was Omar Sheikh acquitted?
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Saturday Jan 30, 2021 In this file photo taken on March 29, 2002, police escort British-born Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh in Karachi. AFP
The late Raja Qureshi, who was the former advocate general Sindh, had been closely following the case of Daniel Pearl’s kidnapping and murder. In those days the trial was ongoing in an anti-terrorism court in Karachi against four accused, including the British-Pakistani Omar Sheikh.
In 2002, I met Qureshi and asked him why three other men, who were also key suspects, had not been charged despite their arrest.
Qureshi replied: “Their (the other suspects) trial can be held later. We don’t want to drag the [Pearl] case right now. We want to finish it as soon as possible.”
Daniel Pearl: Pakistani court frees man charged with US journalist killing
British-born Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh was acquitted by a provincial court earlier this year for the murder of Daniel Pearl. The Supreme Court had barred his release following the Sindh High Court decision.
Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh had been on death row since his 2002 conviction
A provincial court in Pakistan on Thursday ordered police to release Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, the man charged with the 2002 murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl, according to the defense lawyer, Mehmood A Sheikh.
In September, the country s Supreme Court ruled that Sheikh must remain in custody while an appeal against his acquittal was heard.