Musharraf allowed bail over role in killing

A prison official said jail staff were withdrawn from Mr Musharraf’s home on the outskirts of Islamabad, adding that Mr Musharraf was free to move around Pakistan. His lawyer said he was still barred from leaving the country pending the court cases against him.

A court granted Mr Musharraf bail on Monday in a case involving his alleged role in the death of a radical cleric killed during a raid on a hardline mosque in Islamabad in 2007. That opened the way for his release after the necessary paperwork was completed.

Mr Musharraf has been granted bail in three other cases against him.

The former prime minister has been plagued by legal troubles since he returned to Pakistan in March after years of self-imposed exile.

The other cases have to do with his alleged role in the murder of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto, the death of a Baluch separatist leader killed by the army and the detention of Pakistani judges.

Mr Musharraf, a 70-year-old former commando, seized power in a 1999 coup when he was serving as army chief and ruled the country for nearly a decade. He was forced to step down in 2008.