Observer Report Islamabad
The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday directed the authorities to move Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, the prime accused in the 2002 killing of American journalist Daniel Pearl, from a death cell in the Karachi Central Prison to a govt rest house within the next two to three days.
The apex court also directed authorities to ensure complete security of the rest house, and allowed Sheikh’s family access to him from 8am to 5pm, while hearing a petition filed by the accused against his detention despite high court orders in this regard. The accused, however, will not be given access to mobile and internet services while his family will be given accommodation and transport on the government’s expense, according to the court’s directives.
On Jan 28, by a majority of two to one, the apex court had upheld the high court’s acquittal of Sheikh for Pearl’s murder and ordered his release if he was not wanted in any other case.
During Tuesday’s hearing, the attorney general told the court that the country had been affected by terrorism during the past 20 years. “Tragedies such as those at the Army Public School and in Mach have not occurred anywhere else in the world.
