ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday learned that the main accused in the murder case of American journalist Daniel Pearl had access to cell phones while imprisoned.
A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Munib Akhtar, heard the appeals over detention despite the release of accused in the case.
During the course of proceedings, the Sindh advocate general informed the court that the main accused Ahmed Omar Sheikh had maintained links with terrorists from the jail. Seven mobile SIMs were recovered from Sheikh, he added.
He said that two of the SIMs allegedly recovered were from the United Kingdom.
Justice Sajjad Ali Shah asked Sheikh had access to mobiles in jail, and to this, the advocate general admitted that it was the Sindh government’s failure.
Sheikh called suspicious people from the jail, he added.
He said that 97 people were arrested in an attempt to break Sheikh out of jail. The lawyer maintained that Sheikh was an agent of enemies.
To this, Justice Munib Akhtar observed that the order to detain Sheikh did not mention being an enemy agent.
The lawyer replied that the Sindh government wanted the apex court to declare Sheikh as an enemy of the country.
The SC issued notices to the attorney general of Pakistan (AGP) and all advocate generals on the appeal of the Sindh government.
The court rejected the appeal seeking suspension of the Sindh High Court (SHC) order regarding release of Sheikh and other accused.
Justice Sajjad Ali Shah said that the three orders regarding custody of accused had been expired.
He asked on what grounds the Sindh government was seeking the stay order if there was no order to detain the accused. No one could be detained for life, he added.
He wondered that if the Sindh government had information, then why had it had a case.
The Sindh advocate general responded that there was intelligence material but the provincial government would not be able to prove the case in court.
The hearing was adjourned until Thursday.
