In a relief to former military dictator Pervez Musharraf, a Pakistani court has extended his pre-arrest bail period by 15 days, in a series of cases in some of which he has been declared a proclaimed offender.

A Sindh High Court Bench accepted the request for extension of bail by 69-year-old Musharraf, who personally appeared before it.

Earlier on March 22, the court had granted a 10-day bail period to the former President who returned home on Sunday after being in self-imposed exile since 2009.

The High Court had also granted Musharraf a pre-arrest bail in the Baloch nationalist leader Akbar Bugti and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto murder cases.

Meanwhile, angry scenes were witnessed when Musharraf arrived at the court to seek the extension of his bail.

People, including groups of lawyers, shouted slogans against the former strongman as he was escorted into the court complex by uniformed security personnel. He was required to appear in person in the court to extend the bail allowance.

Musharraf, who seized power in 1999 and left Pakistan after stepping down in 2008, is also wanted for conspiracy to murder and illegally arresting judges.

The anti-terrorism court had declared Musharraf a fugitive and issued arrest warrants for him after he refused to cooperate with investigators probing Bhutto’s killing.

Musharraf, who formed the All Pakistan Muslim League, intends to lead his party in the May 11 polls.

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