KARACHI, March 18: An anti-terrorism appellate bench of the Sindh High Court, comprising Justice Sarmard Jalal Osmany and Justice Muhammad Mujeebullah Siddiqui , on Thursday put off hearing of appeals by Asma Nawab and other accused for indefinite time.

When appeals were taken up, mother and sister of accused Farhan informed the bench that they did not recognise advocate Akhtar Jamal as defence counsel for Farhan.

They also sought time to engage a new defence lawyer. The bench, allowing the request, ordered that the appeals shall not be treated as part of the hearing and adjourned till a date to be fixed later.

Asma Nawab, Farhan and Jawed were sentenced to death by an anti-terrorism court at Karachi, while the fourth accused, Waseem, was sentenced to 10 years jail term on charge of killing Nawab Ahmad, Abrar Begum and Asif Nawab, father, mother and elder brother of Asma Nawab in December 1998 in the jurisdiction of Malir police station. -APP