LAHORE: A sessions court on Wednesday granted post-arrest bail to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA Mian Javed Latif in a provocative speech case in which he was accused of defaming state institutions and inciting people against the state.
Additional Sessions Judge Mohammad Hafizur Rehman approved the PML-N leader’s bail subject to submission of two surety bonds worth Rs200,000 each.
Advocate Farhad Ali Shah, who represented the accused, stated before the court that his client is a political worker and that a treason case has been filed against Javed Latif on ill-founded accusations, he added.
Judicial Magistrate Ahsan Raza resumed hearing as jail authorities produced the PML-N leader before him. Strict security arrangements were made around Model Town Court upon the arrival of Latif.
Earlier today, another court extended judicial remand of Javed Latif until June 23.
The police took the MNA into custody on April 27 after a sessions court dismissed his bail. PML-N leader Danyal Aziz visited the court to express solidarity with the arrested MNA. He said it was very unfortunate that sitting parliamentarians were being brought to the courts in armoured vehicles.
He said a baseless FIR was registered against Latif on the complainant of a ‘patriot’ after the institutions failed to find any wrong against him.