Pakistan police has arrested a fifth accused in the high-profile murder of Wall Street Journal journalist Daniel Pearl who was abducted and killed in 2002 by al Qaeda-linked militants.

The fifth accused named Syed Hashim was arrested in Karachi a few months back but was produced before an anti-terrorism court for the first time today.

Hasham who was charged in the murder case of Pearl was presented before ATC judge Muhammad Javed Alam at the Central Jail Hyderabad because of security reasons, police officials said.

Pearl was Wall Street Journal's South Asia Bureau Chief based in Mumbai when he travelled to Karachi in connection with a story on 9/11 attacks.

In Karachi he was kidnapped and his body was found in February, 2002.

Britain-educated Omer Saeed Sheikh, said to be the mastermind in the murder, was awarded a death sentence by a court in 2002, while other accused Salman Saqib, Fahad Naseem and Sheikh Adil were awarded a 25-year prison sentences.

Former SP of CID police Abdul Rasheed, DSP CID Rao Aslam and DSP Javed Abbas appeared before the ATC and recorded their statements in the case today.