KARACHI, Nov 29: Sindh High Court on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of appeal filed by activists of banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi against their conviction in sectarian killing case after partially hearing the arguments of their counsel.

Activists of banned organization Mohammad Ajmal alias Akram Lahori, Mohammad Azam and Attaullah were sentenced to death by an anti-terrorism court in Karachi in April 2003 having found them guilty of killing Dr Aley Safdar Zaidi of Kidney Centre on March 4, 2002 in Giziri police limits.

Prosecution case was that the doctor was on his way to the hospital from his Gizri residence on March 4, 2002 when two motorcyclists opened fire on his car (ABU-495). He died on the spot. Appellants were indicted by the trial court for murdering on sectarian rivalry.

Arguing on the appeal, appellants’ counsel Maqboolur Rehman contended that the evidence of prosecution witness could not be relied upon under the law as there were glaring contradictions in their statements.

He also questioned the testimony of eyewitnesses of the case, who recorded their statements after more than three months of the incident and did not inform the police after the incident. He said that the witnesses falsely testified against applicants as they belonged to their rival sect.

SHC’s division bench comprising Justice Mohammad Afzal Soomro and Justice Rehmat Hussain Jaffery adjourned the hearing for Wednesday.

RANSOM CASE: The High Court of Sindh on Tuesday reserved judgment on appeal of four men against their conviction in kidnapping for ransom case.