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Daniel Pearl's killers will soon be free, and world must speak up now

WION
New Delhi, Delhi, IndiaEdited By: Gravitas deskUpdated: Dec 26, 2020, 12:11 AM IST
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File photo of deceased Wall Street Journal journalist Daniel Pearl. Photograph:(Zee News Network)

Story highlights

Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, a terrorist, will soon walk free


"We have filed an appeal of this decision with the Pakistan Supreme Court. We are standing up for justice — not only for our son, but for all of our dear friends in Pakistan, so they can live in a society free of violence and terror, and raise their children in peace and harmony," said Judea Pearl, father of Daniel Pearl on May 2020. 

The parents of Daniel, an investigative journalist of The Wall Street Journal, made this appeal to the apex court after a local court overturn the verdict of her son's killers. 

In September, a two-judge bench assembled and barred the Sindh government from releasing the killers. 

In the middle of the hearing, the Sindh High Court has now ordered the immediate release of Daniel Pearl's killers. 

Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, a terrorist, will soon walk free. 

Let's take a look at what is happening in Pakistan. An American journalist was kidnapped and beheaded in 2002, with his body cut into pieces and buried.

His killers were sent to prison by Pakistan's judiciary and after 18 years the same judiciary says the men are innocent. 

On Saturday, Daniel's murderers will be set free. 

His parents have once again appealed to the Supreme Court of Pakistan, saying they have full faith in Pakistan's judiciary system to provide justice to their son. 

They are urging the apex court to reinforce the paramount importance of the freedom of press. 

Omar's lawyer said that the verdict will not be overturned as there is no evidence against them. 

The U.S. State Department has taken note of this absolute travesty of justice. 

"We are deeply concerned by the ruling of Sindh High Court to release multiple terrorists responsible for the murder of Daniel Pearl," the justice department said. 

"We have been assured that the accused have not been released at this time."

Everybody knows how assurances from Pakistan turn out to be. 

The Pakistan and Sindh government claims it has filed an appeal against the release.

But, we are barely hours away from the release of the convicts and if the chances of repealing of the court's ruling are abysmally low. 

Pakistan's crippled and corrupt judiciary gets exposed when they think that terror crimes don't matter after 18 years. 

The murderers of Pearl should bot be released and the world must oppose this.