An Anti-Terrorism Court has extended till April 17 the interim bails of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders in the case of vandalism and rioting in the judicial complex. 

Police produced 75 workers of the PTI in the court of ATC judge Raja Jawad Abbas on Monday. 

PTI leaders Asad Umar, Aamir Kayani, Zulfi Bukhari, Khurram Shehzad, Umar Ayub, Hammad Azhar, Ali Awan Nawaz and Shehzad Waseem and their counsel appeared before the court. 

The judge remarked that as far as Imran Khan was concerned, the PTI had moved the Islamabad High Court. "Until the court gives a decision, the ATC cannot issue a verdict. No matter how many applicants in the present case, we have to wait for the IHC verdict," he added. 

The investigating officer informed the court that the PTI leaders had not yet joined the proceedings. The judge expressed his displeasure at the police officer’s revelations.

The counsel filed an application on behalf of Shibli Faraz for exemption from attendance due to coronavirus. 

The PTI counsel submitted before the court that the party leaders were facing threats that forced them to remain away from proceedings. He cited the examples of Hassaan Niazi who was arrested from the judicial complex after getting a bail and now facing a number of cases. Similarly, houses of Murad Saeed and Farrukh Habib’s in-laws were raided. 

The judge asked the counsel under which law they sought protection? 

The counsel replied that an application for protection had been filed in the Islamabad High Court but the decision had not yet been announced. 

The judge granted a day’s exemption and ordered the counsel to ensure presence of Shibli Faraz, Murad Saeed, Farrukh Habib and Hassaan Niazi on next date of hearing.