ISLAMABAD: Pakistan prosecutors have appealed against the acquittal of British-born militant Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, who was sentenced to death 18 years ago for the kidnapping and brutal murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl.
The Wall Street Journal reporter's beheading sparked revulsion and international outrage in early 2002, putting pressure on Pakistan's military government just as it was remaking its image following years of backing the Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan.
Sheikh and three accomplices had their convictions overturned by a provincial court earlier this month, spurring condemnation from the US and media watchdog groups.
Fiaz Shah, the prosecutor-general for Sindh, told AFP Thursday the appeal had been formally lodged by the provincial government. He could not say when it might be heard.
Following their acquittal, the four men were immediately re-arrested by authorities and will be held for at least three months while the appeal plays out.
Pearl, 38, was South Asia bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal when he was abducted in Karachi in January 2002 while researching a story about Islamist militants.
A graphic video showing his decapitation was delivered to the US consulate in the city nearly a month later.
Observers at the time said the killers were acting out of revenge for Pakistan's support of the US-led war on the hardline Islamic Taliban regime in Afghanistan and the Al-Qaeda terror network they harbored.
In January 2011, a report released by the Pearl Project at Georgetown University suggested the wrong men had been convicted of Pearl's murder.
An investigation led by Pearl's friend and former colleague Asra Nomani claimed the reporter was murdered by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington.
Mohammed was arrested in Pakistan in 2003 and is being held in Guantanamo Bay. A US psychologist who interviewed him said he had confessed to the killing.
Pakistani prosecutors appeal acquittal of suspects in Daniel Pearl murder
https://arab.news/w6hrv
Pakistani prosecutors appeal acquittal of suspects in Daniel Pearl murder
- The American journalist was abducted in Karachi in January 2002 while researching a story about Islamist militants
- According to a US psychologist, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of 9/11 attacks, confessed to Pearl's killing
Islamabad says surge in aircraft orders after India standoff could end IMF reliance
- Pakistani jets came into the limelight after Islamabad claimed to have shot down six Indian aircraft during a standoff in May last year
- Many countries have since stepped up engagement with Pakistan, while others have proposed learning from PAF’s multi-domain capabilities
ISLAMABAD: Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday said Pakistan has witnessed a surge in aircraft orders after a four-day military standoff with India last year and, if materialized, they could end the country’s reliance on the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The statement came hours after a high-level Bangladeshi defense delegation met Pakistan’s Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu to discuss a potential sale of JF-17 Thunder aircraft, a multi-role fighter jointly developed by China and Pakistan that has become the backbone of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) over the past decade.
Fighter jets used by Pakistan came into the limelight after Islamabad claimed to have shot down six Indian aircraft, including French-made Rafale jets, during the military conflict with India in May last year. India acknowledged losses in the aerial combat but did not specify a number.
Many countries have since stepped up defense engagement with Pakistan, while delegations from multiple other nations have proposed learning from Pakistan Air Force’s multi-domain air warfare capabilities that successfully advanced Chinese military technology performs against Western hardware.
“Right now, the number of orders we are receiving after reaching this point is significant because our aircraft have been tested,” Defense Minister Asif told a Pakistan’s Geo News channel.
“We are receiving those orders, and it is possible that after six months we may not even need the IMF.”
Pakistan markets the Chinese co-developed JF-17 as a lower-cost multi-role fighter and has positioned itself as a supplier able to offer aircraft, training and maintenance outside Western supply chains.
“I am saying this to you with full confidence,” Asif continued. “If, after six months, all these orders materialize, we will not need the IMF.”
Pakistan has repeatedly turned to the IMF for financial assistance to stabilize its economy. These loans come with strict conditions including fiscal reforms, subsidy cuts and measures to increase revenue that Pakistan must implement to secure disbursements.
In Sept. 2024, the IMF approved a $7 billion bailout for Pakistan under its Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program and a separate $1.4 billion loan under its climate resilience fund in May 2025, aimed at strengthening the country’s economic and climate resilience.
Pakistan has long been striving to expand defense exports by leveraging its decades of counter-insurgency experience and a domestic industry that produces aircraft, armored vehicles, munitions and other equipment.
The South Asian country reached a deal worth over $4 billion to sell military equipment to the Libyan National Army, Reuters report last month, citing Pakistani officials. The deal, one of Pakistan’s largest-ever weapons sales, included the sale of 16 JF-17 fighter jets and 12 Super Mushak trainer aircraft for basic pilot training.
