An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Pakistan on Friday freed Qari Hashim Ali, one of the suspects in the murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl.

The ATC in Hyderabad freed him due to lack of evidence, Geo TV reported.

Qari Hashim Ali was arrested for his involvement in the kidnapping and murder of Daniel Pearl, the South Asian bureau chief of the Wall Street Journal, in Karachi in 2002.

The mastermind of the murder, Ahmed Omer Sheikh was given the death sentence while co-accused Salman Saqib, Fahad Naseem and Sheikh Adil were given life sentences.