Islamabad | Pakistan’s Sindh High Court (SHC) decision to release suspected hijackers and murderers of American journalist Daniel Pearl has raised America’s concern.
The US State Department has expressed serious concern over the release of Sindh High Court British national Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and three others from nine months’ detention, who were acquitted in 2002 in connection with the journalist’s kidnapping and brutal murder. The latter was also kept in custody.
“We are deeply concerned by the news of the Sindh High Court’s December 24 decision to release several terrorists responsible for the killing of Daniel Pearl,” the department said in a tweet.
The tweet further said, “We have been assured that the accused have not been released at the moment.”
The department reiterated that it is keeping a close watch on the matter and said it stands with Pearl’s family.
As per the details of the Sindh High Court (SHC) order, no detainee will be detained by the federal or provincial governments by any law enforcement agencies without the permission of the court.
However, the court has ordered the names of the detainees to be put in the Exit Control List (ECL) to prevent them from leaving the country until the state’s appeal against their acquittal is decided by the Supreme Court of Pakistan .
The court verdict is likely to be challenged by the federal or provincial government in the coming days as it has started to point fingers at the judicial process of the country.
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