KARACHI, Jan 19: A division bench of Sindh High Court on Friday put off proceedings to February 19 in appeals filed by accused and the state in Daniel Pearl kidnapping and murder case.

The bench comprising Justice Rehmat Hussain Jaffery and Justice Munib Ahmed Khan adjourned the hearing in appeals against the conviction of appellants and the state’s appeal for an enhancement of sentence of the co-accused.

The four convicts include Ahmed Omar Shaikh, the main accused who has challenged the death sentence awarded to him while his accomplices Salman Saqib, Fahad Naseem and Adil Sheikh, who were sentenced to serve life term have moved appeals against their convictions. State is also seeking enhancement of life terms into capital punishment to the co-accused.

The accused were tried and convicted by Anti-Terrorism Court on July 15, 2002, following the trial at Hyderabad Jail, for masterminding the kidnapping-cum-murder of Wall Street Journal’s reporter Daniel Pearl.—APP