Danial Pearl family to appeal against SC ruling

The family of Danial Pearl has decided to appeal against the Supreme Court ruling letting go free four men involved in the kidnapping and murdering the American journalist.

The relatives of the slain journalist said they are appealing against the verdict. Umer Sheikh and his accomplices should be punished for callously killing Danial Pearl, they said, adding that in a letter to the court, Sheikh admitted the truth and confessed to the kidnapping.

They praised Justice Yahya Afridi for writing dissent note and expressed gratitude to the government for supporting them in pursuit of justice.

Danial Pearl was working as the South Asia bureau chief of the Wall Street Journal in 2002 when he was kidnapped in Karachi while reporting on Richard Reid, the British terrorist known as the "shoe bomber."

Later, they filmed Danial Pearl's beheading and sent it to US officials. Four men were arrested in 2002 and convicted. Omar Sheikh was given the death penalty. But in April last year, Sindh High Court overturned the convictions citing insufficient evidence, inconsistencies in police accounts and forced confessions.

The court added that the men had "suffered irreparable harm and extreme prejudice" after spending 18 years behind bars, and in December ordered all four to be set free. The Supreme Court upheld that decision, ruling against appeals by both the Pearl family and Pakistani authorities.

Call for constituting a larger bench 

The federal government has decided to become a party in an appeal against Supreme Court ruling in Danial Pearl murder case. 

According to a statement issued by Attorney General of Pakistan’s Office, the federal government will make a request to the Supreme Court for forming a larger bench over the high profile case. The federal government expressed the resolve to utilise all resource to help justice seekers.