KARACHI, Nov 12: The Deputy District Officer (DDO) and Special Judicial Magistrate, Saddar Town, Lal Mohammad Kalhoro, on Monday granted bail to around 36 activists of the Pakistan People’s Party against surety bonds of Rs10,000 each.

These activists were arrested on Sunday from Regal Chowk during a protest against the imposition of emergency rule in the country, ousting of the chief justice of Pakistan and other judges and curbs on the media.

They were held for violating Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. A case (FIR 166/07) was registered against 16 PPP activists at the Preedy police station while another case (FIR 640/07) was registered against 20 PPP workers at the Artillery Maidan police station.

Talking to journalists, PPP leader Rashid Rabbani said that the protest would continue till the lifting of the emergency rule imposed by Gen Pervez Musharraf. He urged the government to restore the chief justice of Pakistan and other judges of the apex court and to release all the political activists.

“Our protest would continue till the emergency rule was lifted in the country. We demand that the government restore the chief justice and other judges of the apex court, lift emergency rule immediately and release all the political activists who are in the custody of law-enforcement agencies,” he said, adding that free and fair polls could not be held under emergency rule.