HYDERABAD: Ahmed Omar Saeed Shaikh, a convict in the Daniel Pearl kidnapping and murder case, tried to commit suicide in his prison cell, according to a first information report (FIR).

The FIR was lodged by Assistant Superintendent of Hyderabad Central Jail Syed Nadeem Akhtar Shah at the Baldia police station.

According to it, Omar Shaikh tried to commit suicide on Feb 12 by hanging himself with a chadar (cloth sheet) tied to the window of his cell. Seeing this, the prison staffers cut the chadar. He fell on the floor and was overpowered.

Omar Sheikh was examined by the jail hospital’s medical superintendent, Dr Pir Manzoor, who reported that bruises were visible around his neck. He was again confined to the cell.

The FIR also says the convict issues threats to the jail administration through different sources. He demands that he should be allowed to move freely in the prison to enable him to “spread the message of Islam”.

He also demands that he should be allowed to talk to members of the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and his family by phone.

In view of his conduct, the FIR says, security around Omar Shaikh has been tightened.

He has been awarded capital punishment in the high-profile case and has filed an appeal in the Sindh High Court against his conviction.

An Anti-Terrorism Court sentenced him to death on July 15, 2002 and awarded life term to co-accused Sheikh Adil, Salman Saqib and Fahad Naseem.

Daniel Pearl was kidnapped in Karachi in January 2002 while researching a story about militants. He was later beheaded at a hideout of militants.