Washington/Islamabad
The administration of President Joe Biden on Thursday expressed outraged over the acquittal of the prime accused in Danel Pearl’s murder by the Supreme of Pakistan, asking the government to review its legal options.
The White House is “outraged by the Pakistani Supreme Court’s decision,” chief spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters, calling the ruling “an affront to terrorism victims everywhere” and demanded the Pakistani government “review its legal options.”
“The United States is deeply concerned by the Pakistani Supreme Court’s decision to acquit those involved in Daniel Pearl’s kidnapping and murder, and any proposed action to release them,” stated a press release of the State Department.
The communique added, “we expect the Pakistani government to expeditiously review its legal options to ensure justice is served. We take note of the Attorney General’s statement that he intends to seek review and recall of the decision.”
Concluding, it said, “we are also prepared to prosecute Sheikh in the United States for his horrific crimes against an American citizen. We are committed to securing justice for Daniel Pearl’s family and holding terrorists accountable.
The White House statement came after Supreme Court upheld the acquittal of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, who had been convicted of masterminding the brutal murder of Pearl, the South Asia bureau chief for the Wall Street Journal, by religious extremists in 2002.
“The court has come out to say that there is no offense that he (Sheikh) has committed in this case,” Mahmood Sheikh, who represented the accused, said.
Neanwhile, within 24 hours of the Supreme Court verdict acquitting the prime accused in the Daniel Pearl murder case, the Sindh government on Friday filed a petition seeking the review of the short order.
The petition, filed by the prosecutor general Sindh, also requested for an early hearing of the matter. It pleaded the court to review its verdict and reinstate their sentences as there were certain loopholes in the short order.
The PG also sought one week to submit more documents in the case.
