Two courts in Pakistan have extended bail for former prime minister Imran Khan in a dozen cases, a month after his arrest sparked mass protests and thousands of arrests. Imran Khan, 70, a former cricket star, faces more than 150 charges since he was removed from office in April last year.
On Thursday, he appeared before two courts in the capital, Islamabad. According to one of his lawyers, Sher Afzal Marwat, Imran Khan will remain free on bail until June 19 in eight cases registered against him under anti-terrorism legislation. In addition, another court extended bail in nine other cases, according to lawyer Gohar Khan.
The former leader was arrested on May 9 in Islamabad in a corruption case but was released three days later on bail after his arrest was found to have been illegal. His arrest triggered two days of chaos, with thousands of supporters setting fire to buildings and blocking roads in several regions of the country. In response, the government deployed the army, and at least nine deaths were reported in the unrest, according to police and health sources.
Imran Khan has waged an unprecedented campaign of defiance against the military, accusing the current coalition government of removing him from power last year in collusion with senior generals. These developments have generated great political tension in the country, and the extension of Khan’s bail in multiple cases demonstrates the ongoing legal standoff.