BAHAWALPUR, Jan 25: Additional district and sessions judge Razziq Nawaz on Tuesday confirmed the interim bail before arrest of 16 PML-N leaders and activists.

Prominent among those granted bails are: former MNAs Seth Aqeelur Rehman and Chaudhry Mumtaz Ahmed Jajja, MPAs Malik Muhammad Iqbal Channar and Begum Parveen Masood Bhatti, former provincial parliamentary secretary and PML Punjab vice-president Chaudhry Samiullah, former district secretary-general Mahar Muhammad Iqbal.

Sadar police had registered a case against them under 16-MPO on Oct 13, 2004. They were alleged to have raised slogans against the government and President Pervez Musharraf at a gathering held on Oct 12, 2004. Qayyum Azam was released on bail while 16 others had been granted interim bail which was extended thrice during the past months.

HARD JAIL: A local anti-terrorism court on Tuesday handed down 14 years hard jail and fined Rs8,000 each for injuring a constable. According to the prosecution, convicts Muhammad Mushtaq alias Shakki, Ghulam Murtaza and Muhammad Riaz shot and injured a constable of R-Division police station, Rahim Yar Khan, last year. Muhammad Riaz and Qamardin were tried in absentia as they were absconding.