Karachi (Web Desk): The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday set aside the provincial government’s detention order of four accused, convicted in murder case of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl
A two-member bench of the SHC presided over by Justice K. K. Agha heard petitions filed by Ahmed Omer Saeed Sheikh, Fahad Naseem, Salman Saqib and Sheikh Adil, challenging their continuous detention in the case.
During today’s hearing, the assistant attorney-general told the court that the detention of the accused was done by the provincial government. He added that the accused were detained on September 28 under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).
The court declared the notification regarding the detention the accused illegal and ordered their immediate release. However, the court also directed officials to place the accused on the Exit Control List (ECL).
In April, the SHC overturned the conviction of prime accused Ahmed Omer Saeed Sheikh in the kidnapping and killing of American journalist.
The court announced a verdict on appeals filed by Sheikh, a British national, and co-accused against the conviction in 2002.
Saeed has already spent 18 years in prison on death row and the seven-year sentence was expected to be counted as time served.
