ISLAMABAD, May 11: The district and sessions judge, Sheikh Ahmed Farooq, on Saturday extended till May 20 the interim bail of 16 PML-N leaders, who had been booked under treason charges.

The same court had earlier granted the bail before arrest to them till Saturday and had ordered the prosecution to produce the record of the case.

Golra police had booked 31 PML-N leaders including Raja Zafarul Haq, Akram Zaki, Malik Lal Khan and Akhtar Mehmood and others under sections 123, 124(A) 147, 188 of PPC, 16 MPO and Section 3/4 of the Amplifier Act.

They were accused of instigating public sentiments against the government at a May Day convention of the party.

Nayyar Bukhari advocate, appearing on behalf of the PML- N leaders, contended before the court that the cases had nothing to do with violation of law but were a sheer political victimisation.

He argued that the police booked the PML-N leaders under 123- A and 124-A of the PPC while no one spoke against Pakistan in the convention.

He further contended that the party convened a meeting to observe the May Day only and there was no activity on their part which could have cause the extreme offence of treason.

He argued the cases could have been registered on the complaint of either the federal or provincial governments and that a police official could not register himself such a case of serious nature.