Pakistan's ex-premier granted interim bail in 7 cases

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - A Pakistani high court on Monday granted interim bail to the country's former Prime Minister Imran Khan in seven separate cases until April 6.

A two-judge bench led by the Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court barred police from arresting Khan until the next hearing and also directed the Interior Ministry to provide adequate security to the ex-premier, according to the court record.

Footage aired on local broadcaster Geo News showed Khan escorted by his private security guards and surrounded by police personnel entering the premises of Islamabad High Court.

Islamabad police said they arrested at least 13 workers of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party for violating a ban the authorities imposed on gatherings during the court hearing.

Khan, who was thrown out of power through a no-trust vote in April last year, has been facing a string of cases ranging from terrorism to attempted murder and to money laundering.

Most of the cases, which he dubs a "sham," have been lodged after his ouster.

Khan blames his unceremonious ouster on a US-backed conspiracy – an allegation that the incumbent coalition government in Islamabad and Washington have repeatedly refuted.

He narrowly escaped assassination while leading an anti-government long march towards Islamabad last November.

The cricketer-turned-politician who has been demanding early elections since his ouster addressed a big rally in the northeastern city of Lahore, and gave a 10-point agenda to, what he said, pull the country out of ongoing political and economic predicaments.

Khan said if he comes back to power, he would exploit overseas Pakistanis for foreign investment and tap tourism, industry, minerals, and other sectors to revive the country's ailing economy.

The government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, nevertheless, rejected his demand for early elections, which otherwise are scheduled in October this year.