ISLAMABAD: The anti-terrorism court extended PTI chief Imran Khan’s interim bail till September 12 after accepting Rs100,000 worth of surety bonds on Thursday while hearing the former premier’s appeal in a case pertaining to his “controversial” remarks about a female judge and senior officers of the federal capital police at the Rawalpindi rally.

Imran, the former premier, was expected to arrive in the court at 10am but he appeared by 12 noon after the court issued orders. Judge Raja Jawad Abbas Hassan took up the court proceeding. As many as 500 security personnel were deployed outside the court.

The former prime minister has been booked under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (punishment for acts of terrorism) for apparently threatening a female judge at the rally on August 20 while a separate first information report has been registered against him on charges of violating Section 144 (ban on public gatherings exceeding four persons) in the capital on the day of the rally.

The court also accepted the bail petition in other charges registered against Imran in the case.

“They will keep adding charges to the case within every 10 days,” the judge said as the hearing resumed again at 12 noon. “If any section is remaining, add that as well.”

Babar Awan, Imran’s lawyer, agreed with Judge Abbas and wondered if any section was remaining to be added in the case.

The court said that except for terrorism all sections are warrantable.

“They say that terrorism was spreading in the country. Imran Khan is in the court room as per court orders. All sections are warrantable. Nowhere it was written that ‘will set fire’,” Awan said.

The court extended the PTI chief’s bail till September 12 and accepted interim bail on new sections against surety bonds worth Rs100,000.

During the hearing, Awan told the court four new sections had been added to the FIR against Imran, namely 186 (offence of obstructing public servant in the execution of public duty), 504 (criminal intimidation), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant).

Earlier, the court announced its decision to take a break at 10:30am and summoned Imran Khan till 12 noon.

Pre-arrest bail on August 25

The ATC granted pre-arrest bail to PTI chief Imran on August 25 till September 1 against a surety of Rs100,000. The former PM had approached the court after three days of protective bail, which was given by the Islamabad High Court, ended.

“Pakistan has become a laughing stock in the world,” Imran had told reporters after the hearing in the ATC. “PTI’s Shahbaz Gill was subjected to torture and sexual abuse, and in response, I say that I would take legal action against police officers concerned and a magistrate who sent him back to police on a remand and on this a terrorism case is registered against me. This is a joke.”

He added that the PTI’s strength was increasing and efforts were under way for a technical “knock out of PTI”.