Daniel Pearl Murder Case: Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh’s Death Sentence Overturned

In an unexpected turn of events, Sindh High Court overturned the death sentence of British born militant, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh for the murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002.

Who was Daniel Pearl?

Daniel Pearl was an American investigative journalist and the bureau chief of the Wall Street Journal’s South Asian desk.

He was in Pakistan in 2002 investigating a story on religious militancy when he was kidnapped and beheaded in Karachi.

Pearl’s beheading had been video-tapped and sent to the US consulate in Karachi.

Who were the Prime Accused?

Four people were arrested and judged guilty for the murder of the Wall Street journalist.

Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, who was tabbed as the mastermind behind the killing had been awarded a death sentence while the remaining three convicts had been sentenced to life imprisonment.

Read: A Multan Court Sentenced Junaid Hafeez To Death On Blasphemy Charges & Pakistanis Are Seriously Not Having It!

Sindh High Court Overruled the Lower Court’s Verdict on Thursday in the Daniel Pearl Murder Case

As per Sheikh’s lawyer, Khawaja Naveed, murder charges against his client could not be proven and so he was awarded 7 years in prison for kidnapping.

The other three convicts have been acquitted.

Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh Might Soon be Free

Since Sheikh has already served 18 years in prison it is expected that he will shortly be released from police custody.