PPP condemns journalist killing
ISLAMABAD- Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has condemned the killing of Daniel Pearl, American journalist kidnapped by unknown militants on the 23rd of the last month protesting the treatment of the prisoners at Gautanamo bay. “Targeting innocent civilians in a conflict is most reprehensible and is condemned”, the PPP spokesperson said in a statement on Friday.
He said the PPP is concerned that the kidnapping and murder of Daniel Pearl could be a sign of the worse to come. He noted that the militants in Afghanistan, and perhaps even in Kashmir, were now returning to Pakistan and could be “regrouping and re-organising their activities by making Pakistan the focus of actions to be carried out.”
Expressing concern the PPP spokesperson alleged that the Musharraf regime was unable to maintain domestic stability as is evident by the rise of the Taliban, al Qaeda and the worst acts of international terrorism took place during Musharraf’s watch.”
The spokesperson also raised concern about the manner in which the military regime had handled the Pearl kidnapping and murder case. “It was offensive that the custody of prime suspect Sheikh Omar, who turned himself in five days before authorities admitted it, was kept a secret with a view to politically exploiting it for the visit of General Musharraf to Washington.”
The murder of the US reporter was revealed by an official handout on Friday morning. According to the official release, the Sindh Home Department received a videotape showing the murder. British-born Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, a key suspect claimed in the court that Pearl was dead. However, police authorities refused to believe it claiming that until a body was found, they would assume he was alive.
Source: The News
Date:2/23/2002
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