ISLAMABAD- Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has been granted bail for two weeks by a Pakistani court after his arrest sparked deadly protests and a power struggle with the military.
The Supreme Court declared his arrest to be "invalid and unlawful" the day before, adding to instability in the country amid an economic crisis characterized by inflation, sluggish growth, and delayed IMF funding.
Imran Khan, who is popular according to opinion polls, was removed as prime minister in a no-confidence vote in April 2022. His arrest in connection with a land fraud case triggered violent protests in several Pakistani cities.
In response to the arrest of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, his supporters have engaged in violent protests, attacking military establishments, burning a state broadcaster building, damaging buses, vandalizing a top army official's house, and targeting other assets. As a result, nearly 2,000 people have been arrested, and the army has been deployed to provide assistance.
Imran Khan's lawyer, Faisal Chaudhry, told Reuters that the Islamabad High Court has granted the former prime minister bail for two weeks and ordered the anti-graft agency not to arrest him during this period. The violence sparked by his arrest has led to at least eight deaths and nearly 2,000 arrests, worsening instability in the country and dimming hopes of an International Monetary Fund bailout.
The army, which has held power for nearly half of Pakistan's 75-year history through three coups, has warned against further attacks on its assets and called the violence "pre-planned."
According to ARY news, Imran Khan, the former Pakistani Prime Minister, was expected to be released soon and deliver a speech to his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party workers.
Khan appeared in court wearing a sky blue shalwar kameez, dark waistcoat, and dark glasses, surrounded by lawyers and security forces.
Video footage showed Khan waving at cameras and making a victory sign with his fingers.
Meanwhile, his supporters clashed with police in the capital, setting a police van on fire. Following the court's decision, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah instructed the forces to comply with the court ruling and avoid violating it.