Imran gets bail in seven cases

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday ruled in defence of former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan granting him protection from arrest as lawsuits mounted against him.

Police have charged the ousted premier with incitement to violence in several cases when his followers clashed with security forces this month.

The latest reprieve for Imran comes as a political crisis roils Pakistan, piting the former

cricket star turned politician against the government of his successor, Shahbaz Sharif, and spilling into violence in the streets.

The Islamabad High Court on Monday ruled that Imran cannot be arrested - at least for another week - in seven separate cases over March 18 clashes between his followers and police outside a court in the Pakistani capital where Imran was to appear on grat charges.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Electronic Media

Regulatory Authority (Pemra) restricted live coverage of rallies and public gatherings across the federal capital on March 27.

The directive came hours before Imran appeared before Islamabad courts.

According to a statement issued in early morning hours on Monday, the Pemra referred to a leter sent to it by law enforcement agencies regarding the security situation in Islamabad.