Pakistani court extends protective bail for Musharraf
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E-mail Xinhua, March 29, 2013
A court in Pakistan on Friday extended for two more weeks protective bail to former president Pervez Musharraf who faces arrest in three high profile cases, local media reported.
The court in Karachi extended Musharraf's bail in two cases - " illegal confinement" of 62 judges after he, as the president, had declared a state of emergency in the country on Nov. 3, 2007 and the killing of Baloch leader Akbar Bugti in a military operation in August 2006.
The Sindh High Court had granted protective bail for 10 days to Musharraf on March 22 in three cases which also include the 2007 assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
Musharraf expressed satisfaction at the court's verdict shortly after the judge granted extension in a packed court room.
During the hearing, the government's lawyers opposed bail for Musharraf and prayed the court to cancel the bail. However, defense lawyers requested for the bail, arguing that the former president has volunteered to appear before the court.
The defense lawyers also prayed to the court to absolve Musharraf from personal appearance as he faces serious threats to life.
Earlier the former president arrived in the court in tight security and with heavily armed guards.
A group of lawyers raised slogans against Musharraf as he arrived in the court. They protested against Musharraf for sacking many top judges during his rule.
Musharraf, 70, who had been living in exile in Britain and the United Arab Emirates since he resigned as president in August 2008, returned to Pakistan on March 24.
Several courts had issued arrest warrants for Musharraf in several cases while he was living in exile.
Musharraf, who ruled Pakistan from 1999 to 2008 after seizing power in a bloodless coup in 1999, has denied all charges, terming them as politically-motivated.
