Ousted Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan secured bail on Thursday from the Islamabad High Court, effectively preventing his arrest in the new murder case for a period of 14 days, according to his lawyer.
Mr. Khan was arrested on May 9 and held for three days, which sparked violent protests among his followers. Currently, he is out on bail in several other criminal cases as well.
He traveled from his home in Lahore to the capital to seek bail in the murder case and to extend his bail in more than a dozen other cases, in order to avoid a fresh arrest, stated Barrister Gohar Khan.
The 70-year-old former cricketer, who became prime minister in 2018, has been engaged in a confrontational relationship with the powerful military ever since his ousting through a no-confidence vote last year. Throughout the country's history, the military has either directly ruled or overseen civilian governments, and political conflicts are frequently resolved in court.
Mr. Khan's initial arrest on corruption charges, which he vehemently denies, triggered protests by his supporters who vandalized military facilities, raising concerns about the stability of the nuclear-armed nation with a population of 220 million people, as it grapples with its most severe economic crisis in decades.
Since his release, new charges have been mounting against Mr. Khan. On Wednesday, the police implicated him in the murder of a lawyer who had sought sedition proceedings against him.
Mr. Khan maintains that he is facing nearly 150 cases and firmly denies any wrongdoing, suggesting that these cases are aimed at ensuring his exclusion from participating in elections.
During an online address to his party workers on Wednesday, he expressed his acceptance of the possibility of being arrested again.
On the same day, the military issued a statement emphasizing the need to bring all planners and perpetrators of the May 9 violence to justice.
Shahbaz Sharif, the prime minister who succeeded Mr. Khan, has dismissed his calls for an early election before the scheduled one later this year.
Mr. Khan has also appealed for dialogue to resolve the standoff with the military, but the government has rejected his proposals.
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