KARACHI, May 27: The Sindh High Court on Friday adjourned hearing of an appeal filed on behalf of Ahmed Omer Saeed Sheikh and others against their conviction for the kidnapping and killing of US journalist Daniel Pearl. The matter could not proceed for want of time.

The counsel for Omer Sheikh, Abdul Waheed Katpar, on court query, however, submitted that he could not be able to get any evidence from the Sheikh’s father so far.

The counsel had, during the pervious hearing, sought time as the appellant’s father wanted to submit additional evidence to the court against the conviction.

The division bench, comprising Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany and Justice Azizullah M. Memon, fixed June 15 for the next hearing.

Ahmed Omer Sheikh, the prime accused, was sentenced to death for hatching a conspiracy to kidnap and kill Daniel Pearl, while the co-accused Fahad Naseem, Syed Salman Saqib and Sheikh Mohammad Adil were awarded life term with a fine of Rs500,000 each by the Anti-terrorism Court, Hyderabad, on July 15, 2002.

The court had also directed the convicts to pay Rs2 million to the victim’s widow Mariane Pearl.

BAIL GRANTED: The Sindh High Court on Friday granted bail to a former consultant of the Market Committee of the New Sabzi Mandi, A. Q. Alvi, in a NAB reference for a surety of Rs500,000.