KARACHI, Aug 1: The Sindh High Court again intimated two condemned prisoners of the banned Harkatul Mujahideen Al Alami on Monday to engage counsel to argue their cases otherwise it would appoint defence lawyers for them at state expense. Convicts Mohammad Imran and Hafiz Mohammad Zubair were sentenced to death by an anti-terrorism court in April 2003 for blowing up an explosives laden pickup near the US consulate-general in June 2002. Twelve people were killed and 43 injured in the blast. Sharib Arsalan Farooqui and another co-accused were jailed for life while Mohammad Ashraf Khan was acquitted for lack of evidence.

The cases of absconding co-accused were ordered to be kept on ‘dormant file’. The convicts appealed against their conviction and sentences while the prosecution moved for enhancement of sentences of co-accused and against acquittal of one of them.