Court extends bail of Ayaz Sadiq, others in violent protest case

LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) extended on Friday interim bail of PML-N leaders Ayaz Sadiq, Salman Rafique and 16 other accused in a 2018 case pertaining to violent protests.

Judge Ejaz Ahmed extended their bails until the next hearing after hearing arguments of their lawyers. Mr Sadiq, and other accused turned up before the court as it resumed hearing.

The lawyers contended that the police lodged the case on a political basis as their clients were not involved in any violence.

Speaking to the media after the hearing, Ayaz Sadiq said the 11-party opposition Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) won’t sit idle after submission of en masse resignations from assemblies but will push ahead with its struggle to oust the PTI government.

“The movement is in a decisive phase. A long march and resignations will now follow on,” he said.

Ayaz Sadiq and other PML-N leaders were booked on charges of resorting to violent protests when former prime minister Nawaz Sharif returned to the country to serve his sentence in July 2018.

The first information report was registered under Section 7 of ATA. Mr Sharif along with his daughter Maryam Nawaz was arrested upon arrival at the Lahore airport on July 13, 2018 and shifted to jail to serve sentences in a graft case.