Pakistan: Imran Khan gets bail from Islamabad high court in lawyer’s murder case

Former prime minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan secured bail on Thursday (June 8) from Islamabad High Court over new murder charges filed against him after a lawyerAbdul Razzaq Shar, who had accused the PTI chiefof high treason, was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Quetta.

The development means that he cannot be arrested over these charges for the next 14 days, his lawyer told Reuters. The former premier was earlier arrested on May 9 and was held for three days. This had triggered violent protests by his followers across Pakistan. He has now got bail in a range of criminal cases.

Gohar Khan, the lawyer of Imran Khan said that the former PM travelled to Islamabad from his Lahore home to seek bail in the lawyer's murder case and also to extend his bail in over a dozen other cases in order to avoid a fresh arrest.

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Another of his lawyers, Naeem Haider, said he also received bail in all the other cases in which he had applied for it.

Imran Khan (70), the former cricketer-turned-politician became prime minister of Pakistan in 2018. He has been embroiled in a strife with Pakistan's powerful military since his ouster from the government after a no-confidence vote in 2022.

Previous arrest

He was arrested on corruption charges on May 9. Khan denies the charges. His arrest had sparked protests by his supporters who held demonstrations across the country and even ransacked military facilities in some cities. This had raised fresh worries about stability of Pakistan, a nuclear armed country of 220 million people. Pakistan is currently struggling with worst economic crisis in decades.

Khan denies inciting violence. He also claims that attacks against military were 'black ops' which were designed to give an excuse to authorities to arrest him again and outlaw his party.

"I want to tell my nation that I am ready to face jail... I will never bow down to this unfair and autocratic regime," he said on Wednesday (June 7) in his latest address broadcast on YouTube.

"I also request you not to bow down, as the moment you succumb to this unjust and autocratic rule, the existence of our nation will be jeopardised."

Since his release from the jail, new charges against Imran Khan have been piling up. On Wednesday, he was formally named by police in connection with the murder of a lawyer. The lawyer was seeking sedition proceedings against Imran Khan. The lawyer was gunned down on the way to court by two gunmen who came on a motorbike.

Khan says he is facing nearly 150 cases and denies guilt in all of them.

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