Daniel Pearl Beheading: Pakistan Moves Al-Qaeda Terrorist Omar Sheikh To Government Rest House After Acquittal

Weeks after it upheld the acquittal of Al Qaeda terrorist Omar Saeed Sheikh accused of kidnapping and murdering American journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002, the Pakistan Supreme Court has ordered authorities to move the British born terrorist to a government rest house.

Reportedly, at the rest house, Sheikh will be kept under security. He will be allowed to meet his family from 8 am to 5 pm. He will be kept under strict surveillance, and his access to phones and internet will also be restricted.

Daniel Pearl was the South Asia bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal when he was abducted and beheaded by Islamist terrorists in Karachi in January 2002 while researching a story about them.

The acquittal of Sheikh triggered an outrage in the United States as allegedly Sheikh played a crucial role in organising the abduction and detention of the journalist before ordering his captors to brutally behead him.

India reacted to Pakistan Supreme Court acquitting Sheikh calling it "travesty of justice".

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava highlighted the "very low conviction rate in Pakistan" when it comes to sentencing of terror accused.

"This case truly demonstrates Pakistan’s intent on taking action on the terror front. It is a travesty of justice not to find Omar Saeed guilty of any charges in this heinous act of terror," he added.