ISLAMABAD, Sept 14: Pakistan may consider granting permission for the shooting of a film about slain US reporter Daniel Pearl, an official said on Thursday. Police last month detained crew members who were shooting for the movie A Mighty Heart near the hotel in Karachi from where the Wall Street Journal reporter was abducted in 2002.

Actress Angelina Jolie will star in the movie based on Mariane Pearl’s book on the ordeal of her husband.

Officials said the Karachi shoot had been stopped because filming permission had not been granted.

“They didn’t apply for permission. They just came in without any permission and started shooting. This is not the way,” Sindh Home Secretary Gholam Mohtaram told Reuters.

“They made ordinary people wear police uniforms and started shooting, which was objectionable.”

“They did not follow the proper procedure and it could have caused security problems,” Mr Mohtaram said. “Once they get the authorisation we will provide them proper security.”

Sources said the unit wanted to film where Mr Pearl was kidnapped, where the abductors kept him, where he was beheaded and where his remains were found.

Mr Mohtaram said the government would consider permission for shooting if request was made through proper channels.

Mr Pearl, 38, was kidnapped in January 2002 while researching a story on militants. He was later killed.

English filmmaker Michael Winterbottom, famed for such war-based films as Welcome to Sarajevo and The Road to Guantanamo, is directing the movie.

Oscar-winning US actress Jolie visited Pakistan as the UN refugee agency’s goodwill ambassador last year.—Agencies