KARACHI, July 19: A division bench of Sindh High Court, comprising Justice Mohammad Mujeebullah Siddiqui and Justice Mohammad Afzal Soomro, on Monday adjourned the hearing of an appeal filed by Mohammad Faisal , an activist of banned Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan against his conviction in Maulana Saleem Qadri murder case.

The court was told that defence counsel M.A Kazi was ill and the proceedings be adjourned. The SSP activist was sentenced to death by an Anti-Terrorism Court on April 11, 2003.

He was prosecuted on charge of killing Sunni Tehrik leader Saleem Qadri and five others in an ambush on May 18, 2001, at Baldia Town when the Maulana, among others, was going to offer Jumma prayers in the Noorani mosque.

FRAUD CASE: The Sindh High Court on Monday granted bail to an exporter Mohammad Sajjad and ordered him to furnish surety in the sum of Rs5 million in a tax fraud case. The applicant was arrested on May 6 by the Collectorate of Sales Tax.

He is allegedly involved in massive tax fraud by way of forming different export and wholesales companies and getting them registered with the collectorate of sales tax in the names of his employees and associates.

It is charged that he claimed fraudulent refund on the basis of these self-generated and fake invoices and got million of rupees as refund. It was argued by the applicant's counsel Shamsul Islam that prosecution has not been able to collect satisfactory evidence against his client.

He argued that it was a case of further inquiry as no prima facie offence under Sales Tax Act had been made out. He said his client was a genuine exporter and earned foreign exchange for the country.

State counsel Ziauddin Nasir opposed the grant of bail and said through making fake companies a huge amount of export refund had been claimed. SHC's division bench, comprising Justice Muhammad Mujeebullah Siddiqui and Justice Mohammad Afzal Soomro, after hearing arguments of both side counsels observed applicant was entitled to bail as no offence had been made out under the Sales Tax Act. However, action can be taken against him for offence, if any, punishable under other laws. -PPI