Musharraf gets bail in Bhutto case but will stay in detention

A court in Pakistan Monday granted bail to Pervez Musharraf in the 2007 assassination case of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, but the former president will remain in detention in a case relating to keeping judges in illegal confinement.

Musharraf has been accused of failing to provide security to Bhutto, who was killed in December 2007.

In spite of the Anti-Terrorism Court's release order, Musharraf will remain in detention in the case of keeping judges in illegal confinement when he imposed emergency in 2007, Xinhua reported.

The former president is being kept at his Islamabad house which has been declared a sub-jail.

Last month, the Lahore High Court rejected an application by Musharraf for extension of his interim bail. He was then formally arrested.

Musharraf's lawyer told the court Monday that there was no solid proof against the former military ruler and that he should be granted bail.

Musharraf returned to Pakistan in March after nearly four years of self-exile to take part in the May 11 general elections.

However, he was barred from running in the polls.

Musharaf is also facing other criminal cases. Lawyers have petitioned the Supreme Court to put him on trial for treason for imposing emergency and over the death of Baloch tribal leader Akbar Bugti in a 2006 military operation.