Pakistan's Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the Pakistani-British man acquitted of the 2002 gruesome beheading of American journalist Daniel Pearl off 'death row' and moved to a so-called government 'safe-house'. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the Pakistani-British man acquitted of the 2002 gruesome beheading of American journalist Daniel Pearl off death row and moved to a so-called government “safe house." In the government-run safe house, Sheikh will be under a 24-hour guard — often by military personnel — and will not be allowed to leave the house. AdLast week’s ruling that exonerated Sheikh also exonerated another three men accused in Pearl’s murder who had been serving life sentences. They too were ordered on Tuesday to be held in a safe house.

Pakistan is scrambling to manage the fallout of a Supreme Court decision to free the Pakistani-British man accused in the 2002 beheading of American Journalist Daniel Pearl. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan)ISLAMABAD – Pakistan is scrambling to manage the fallout from a decision by the country's Supreme Court to free the Pakistani-British man accused in the 2002 beheading of American journalist Daniel Pearl. According to the Pearl family lawyer, Faisal Siddiqi, this means that doubt about the guilt of one translates into a doubt about all. The provincial Sindh government has taken the last remaining legal step by filing a review petition Friday with the Supreme Court. Defying the Supreme Court order to free Sheikh could again leave the Sindh government facing contempt charges.

(AP Photo/Zia Mazhar, File)Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered on Thursday the release of a Pakistani-British man convicted and later acquitted in the beheading of American journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002. The court also dismissed an appeal of Ahmad Saeed Omar Sheikh's acquittal filed by Pearl’s family and the Pakistani government. The “Supreme Court is the court of last resort,” Murtaza Wahab, Sindh's law minister, told The Associated Press. A three-judge Supreme Court ruled 2 to 1 to uphold Sheikh’s acquittal and ordered him released, according to the Pearl family lawyer. Siddiqi, the Pearl family lawyer, had expected it would advance his case.

(AP Photo/Waseem Khan)ISLAMABAD – In a dramatic turn of events, a man convicted and later acquitted in the 2002 killing of American journalist Daniel Pearl admitted a “minor" role in his death, upending 18 years of denials, the Pearl family lawyer said Wednesday. The high court is hearing an appeal of a lower court’s acquittal of Sheikh, charged with murder in the death of Pearl. Pearl family attorney Faisal Siddiqi called Sheikh's confirmation that he authored the letter a “dramatic development” demanding the conviction and death penalty be reinstated. He said he expects a quick decision after Sheikh's admission of involvement, even in a minor capacity, in Pearl's death. Sheikh was sentenced to death and three others to life in prison for their roles in the plot.

(AP Photo/Zia Mazhar, File)KARACHI – A provincial court in Pakistan ordered the release of a British-born Pakistani man charged in the 2002 murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl. Sheikh was acquitted earlier this year of murdering Pearl, but has been held while Pearl's family appeals the acquittal. However, Siddiqi said the Sindh provincial government is appealing the order to release Sheikh. The U.S. State Department in a series of tweets said it was “deeply concerned” by the court order. Siddiqi, the Pearl family lawyer, said he expects the appeal to be decided by the Supreme Court by the end of January.

But the Supreme Court will rule on that next week, Siddiqi said. “Today the court admitted the appeal and next week it will decide if Sheikh stays in jail” until the appeal is decided. The acquittal stunned the U.S. government, Pearl's family and journalism advocacy groups. The U.S. State Department said in a statement that it is watching the case closely and “stands with the Pearl family during this arduous and painfull process." The Pearl family launched a foundation in Daniel's name following the killing, said his father.