ISLAMABAD, June 8 (Reuters) - Ousted Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan secured bail on Thursday from the Islamabad High Court over new murder charges, blocking his arrest in that case for 14 days, according to his lawyer.
The former prime minister was arrested on May 9 and detained for three days, which led to violent protests by his followers. He is currently out on bail in several other criminal cases.
Khan traveled from his home in Lahore to seek bail in the murder case and extend his bail in over a dozen other cases to avoid a new arrest, stated his lawyer, Barrister Gohar Khan. The 70-year-old former cricket hero, who became prime minister in 2018, has been in a confrontation with the powerful military since his ousting in a no-confidence vote last year.
Throughout the country's history, the military has directly ruled or overseen civilian governments, and political confrontations are often fought in court.
Khan's arrest on corruption charges on May 9, which he denies, resulted in protests by his supporters who vandalized military facilities. This raised concerns about the stability of the nuclear-armed country with a population of 220 million people, as it grapples with its worst economic crisis in decades.
Since Khan's release, new charges have been brought against him. On Wednesday, the police named him in connection with the murder of a lawyer who sought sedition proceedings against him. Khan maintains his innocence in nearly 150 cases filed against him.
Khan's lawyer, Gohar Khan, announced that the former prime minister would approach anti-terrorism courts, anti-graft courts, and the High Court in Islamabad on Thursday to seek bail in connection with more than a dozen cases.
Khan, who has been campaigning for an early election since his removal last year, acknowledged in an online address to party workers on Wednesday that he is prepared for the possibility of being arrested again.
Initially, the military viewed Khan, with his conservative nationalist agenda, as a leader who aligned with their interests. However, during his tenure as prime minister, Khan took actions that displeased the military, particularly in relation to security sector appointments.
He has accused the military and its intelligence agency of attempting to dismantle his party, expressing his certainty that he will face trial in a military court and be imprisoned as part of the army-backed crackdown on his party.
The military released a statement on Wednesday, stating that all those responsible for the violence on May 9 must be brought to justice.
Shahbaz Sharif, the prime minister who replaced Khan, rejected his call for an early election before the scheduled one later this year. Khan believes that the cases against him are designed to prevent his participation in the polls.
Khan has appealed for talks to resolve the standoff with the military, but the government has declined his request.
Reporting by Asif Shahzad, Editing by Robert Birsel and Peter Graff.
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