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.”