Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan has been granted bail in multiple cases by an anti-terrorism court in capital Islamabad.

Media reports on Tuesday said the chief of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party was granted bail until June 8 in eight cases related to violence at the court complex in March this year.

Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi was also granted protective bail until May 31 in a corruption case on Tuesday by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) court in Islamabad.

Khan, who says he is facing nearly 150 legal cases against him since he was removed from power in April last year, will be appearing before another NAB court in the garrison town of Rawalpindi later in the day.

The couple is accused of accepting the gift of property to build a private university in exchange for providing benefits to a real estate tycoon. Khan denies the charge, saying he and his wife were not involved in any wrongdoing.

The developments come as the authorities crack down on the supporters of Pakistan’s top opposition leader.

Thousands staged violent protests and attacked public property and military installations following Khan’s arrest earlier this month.

The violence subsided after Khan was released on the orders of the country’s Supreme Court. Ten people were killed in clashes with the security forces.

Khan has campaigned against the government of his successor, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, claiming his removal was illegal and demanding early elections.

After the Islamabad court on Tuesday granted Khan protection from arrest until June 8, he and his wife left for the nearby Rawalpindi to appear before the NAB court.

Source Al Jazeera

BDST: 2057 HRS, MAY 23, 2023
MSK