Pakistani court grants bail to ex-Premier Imran Khan

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - A Pakistani court on Monday granted protective bail to former Prime Minister Imran Khan in a case related to incitement of violence.

A two-judge bench of the Lahore High Court approved a 10-day bail, ordering police to not arrest the former premier until March 3.

Since being removed from office last year, Khan has been facing a slew of court cases, including this one where he is accused of inciting violence during a protest outside the office of the country’s top election authority late last year, although he was not present at the demonstration.

The latest development comes after an anti-terrorism court in the capital Islamabad dismissed his bail last week for continuously failing to attend hearings.

Surrounded by anti-riot police, the cricketer-turned-politician arrived at the court premises on Monday along with hundreds of supporters, and took at least an hour to reach the courtroom.

Footage aired on local broadcaster Express News showed his supporters chanting slogans and showering his bulletproof vehicle with rose petals.

Khan, who rose to power following a 2018 election victory, was ousted through a no-trust move in April last year.

He blames his unceremonious exit on a US-backed conspiracy, an allegation that Islamabad and Washington have repeatedly refuted.

He survived an assassination attempt last November, while leading a protest march toward Islamabad to pressure the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to call snap elections.

The Sharif government has rejected Khan’s demand, maintaining that elections will be held as scheduled in October this year.

Khan, who was shot in both legs, is currently living at his residence in Lahore, with hundreds of his supporters camped outside to thwart his possible arrest.

He is the country’s only prime minister to be deposed through a no-confidence vote.