May 7, 2002	Tuesday	Safar 23, 1423

KARACHI, May 6: Counsel for the two convicted appellants in the murder case of four American employees of Union Texas Pakistan and their driver concluded his arguments before an anti-terrorism appellate bench of the Sindh High Court on Monday.

The bench comprised Justice Ghulam Nabi Soomro and Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany.

Barrister Azizullah Shaikh, counsel for appellants Ahmed Saeed alias Saeed Bharam and Mohammed Saleem alias Ganja alias Denter, completed his arguments.

Mr Shaikh maintained that the trial court had mainly relied on the confessional statements of the accused while convicting them.

It was his contention that their confessional statements had been recorded, after an inordinate delay, under intense police torture. He further submitted that confessional statement under police custody had no value. He had also argued on the statements of two eyewitnesses, and submitted that investigation officer of the case, Inspector Muhammad Aslam Khan, created them.

Assistant Advocate-General Sindh Habib Ahmed was on his feet when the proceedings were adjourned to May 13.

The appellants were awarded death sentence by the anti-terrorism court IV, Karachi, on November 12, 1997, along with other absconding co-accused namely Ajmal Pahari, Kashif David, Faisal Lamba, Waseem Tunda and Sajid, who allegedly waylaid a Toyota Crown vehicle of Union Texas Pakistan on PIDC bridge.

J. Enlo, T. Ritchie, E. Egbo, L. Jemmin and driver Anwar Mirza died of intense and direct firing by the accused.

The TPX police booked a number of persons, including MQM chief Altaf Husain, Nadeem Nusrat and former MNA Anees Ahmed, in the case.

According to the prosecution, on November 12, 1997 complainant Asim Raees Khan, an employee of UTP, lodged an FIR at TPX police station that unknown persons opened indiscriminate fire on car No J-0812 of UTP at PIDC bridge on Moulvi Tameezuddin Khan Road which resulted in the death of five persons, driver Anwar Mirza and four Americans.