Daniel Pearl murder case: SHC seeks report on petition challenging detention of accused

KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday ordered the Sindh Home Department to furnish a comprehensive report on a petition challenging the detention of American journalist Daniel Pearl’s murder accused despite their acquittal.

A division bench of SHC, headed by Justice K. K. Agha, also summoned details of charges against them.

The advocate-general of Sindh appeared before the court and sought three days’ time to prepare his arguments. The petitioner’s lawyer stated that the government issued a notification regarding the detention of the accused after their acquittal under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) without giving any plausible reason.

The advocate-general stated that the accused remained in contact with proscribed outfits.

At this, the judge remarked that the court was not talking about the past but present.

The Home Secretary said the provincial government is empowered to detain the accused. He said the Supreme Court gave a stay order, suspending the SHC verdict that acquitted the accused.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020