KATHMANDU: A Pakistan court on Thursday overturned the death sentence given to Ahmed Omar Sheikh, convicted of masterminding the 2002 abduction and killing of the US journalist Daniel Pearl.
With the verdict, the prime accused Omar Sheikh has now been sentenced to seven years in jail and three others have been acquitted.
His advocate said that Omar has already served 18 years, so his release orders will be issued and he will be out in a few days, international news reports said.
In 2002, Daniel Pearl was abducted from outside a hotel in Pakistan’s Islamabad when he was introduced to a man, Bashir, but was actually Omar.
Pearl was investigating Pakistan’s link with shoe bomber accused and British national Richard Reid. Pearl managed to find out the source of explosives which was supplied by the Pakistani military factory.
Omar then lured Pearl into a trap by assuring that he has the inside knowledge of Reid link with Pakistani contacts and kidnapped him. Due to American pressure, Pakistan was forced to take action against the terrorists involved in the murder of Pearl.
A few days after the assassination, Omar surrendered to Pakistani Army officer, Brigadier Ijaz Shah.
(With inputs from Agencies)
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