KARACHI, Jan 16: Two appeals filed by three convicts, including a police constable, in the murder case of two children of Additional District and Sessions Judge Rashida Asad were put off on Thursday to Jan 23 after initial hearing.

The appeals were heard by an anti-terrorism appellate bench of the Sindh High Court comprising Justice Wahid Bux Brohi and Justice Moosa K. Leghari.

Jaseem alias Joshi, Darwesh alias Saleem and police constable Arif filed the appeals against their conviction by an anti-terrorism court.

Jaseem was sentenced to a total of 27 years imprisonment, and Darwesh to ten years on count of criminal trespass, murders and encounter with police. Police constable Arif was sentenced to seven years in prison on a charge of negligence.

When the appeals came up for hearing, Mohammed Fahim Siddiqui, counsel for appellant Arif, argued the case of his client. Mehmood A. Qureshi, advocate, represented complainant Asad Mirza, father of deceased children Aliza and Ozzam.

According to the prosecution, on 19-3-2001 Jaseem and Darwesh, accompanied by two other accused, were spotted by a police mobile. They were challenged by the police party whereupon they forced their way into the house of Mrs Rashida Asad, the then ADJ.

They held the family hostage and tried to escape in the official car of the ADJ. Police signalled the car to stop and later fired on the car to stop it.

The two children died in the exchange of fire allegedly between police and the criminals/the appellants. — APP