Islamabad court extends Imran Khan's bail in Section 144 violation case

• Co-accused PTI leaders also get extension in bail till September 27.
• Accused PTI leaders Saifullah Niazi, Faisal Javed Khan appear in court.
• Imran Khan, PTI leaders face charges of violating Section 144 in Islamabad.

A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Wednesday extended the bails of PTI Chairman Imran Khan and other party leaders in a case pertaining to the violation of Section 144 in Islamabad.

Imran Khan's lawyer Babar Awan appeared before the court at the outset of the hearing. He was joined by co-accused PTI leaders Saifullah Niazi, Sadaqat Abbasi, Shehzad Waseem and Faisal Javed Khan.

Additional sessions judge Zafar Iqbal accepted the plea seeking exemption from the court for Imran Khan, Asad Umar, Asad Qaiser and Faisal Vawda and granted extension in their bails till September 27.

The case

An FIR was lodged against the former premier on August 24 after he announced nationwide rallies to show solidarity with his chief of staff, Shahbaz Gill, over the claim that his party leader faced "sexual abuse" during detention in a sedition case.

Imran Khan and several PTI leaders, including Asad Umar, Murad Saeed, Fawad Chaudhary and Faisal Javed are co-accused in the case.

Sheikh Rasheed is also among the 17 people named in the FIR.

The FIR states that Imran Khan along with the party leaders violated Section 144. PTI leaders and their almost 1,000 supporters blocked the road at Imran Khan's behest, says the FIR.

Imran Khan and other PTI leaders used loudspeakers as well, it added.