Pakistan's highest court has granted bail to former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, opening the door to a possible end of his house arrest.
Musharraf, who has been under house arrest for six months, has been granted bail in three major cases against him. But house arrest grants him some protection from several threats on his life.
One of the cases against Musharraf is murder in connection with the assassination of opposition leader and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
Bhutto was killed in a gun and bomb attack after leaving a political rally in Rawalpindi in December, 2007.
Musharraf has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which include murder, conspiracy to murder and facilitation of murder.
Musharraf has blamed the assassination on Taliban militants and said he warned her of militant threats to her safety.
Musharraf took power in a 1999 coup and ruled as president until resigning under threat of impeachment by his opponents in 2008 and going into exile.
He returned to Pakistan in March after nearly four years in self-imposed exile in a bid to resurrect his political career.
Musharraf, who has been under house arrest for six months, has been granted bail in three major cases against him. But house arrest grants him some protection from several threats on his life.
One of the cases against Musharraf is murder in connection with the assassination of opposition leader and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
Bhutto was killed in a gun and bomb attack after leaving a political rally in Rawalpindi in December, 2007.
Musharraf has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which include murder, conspiracy to murder and facilitation of murder.
Musharraf has blamed the assassination on Taliban militants and said he warned her of militant threats to her safety.
Musharraf took power in a 1999 coup and ruled as president until resigning under threat of impeachment by his opponents in 2008 and going into exile.
He returned to Pakistan in March after nearly four years in self-imposed exile in a bid to resurrect his political career.
