Former Pakistan prime minister Pervez Musharraf is a 'free man' after the Supreme Court granted him bail over the death of Baloch nationalist Akbar Bugti.
Musharraf has been granted bail in three major cases against him, including one relating to the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
His lawyer said the ruling meant he was a "free man". But he is likely to remain under heavy guard at his villa, where he has been under house arrest since April, because of serious threats to his life, he Daily Times reports
Musharraf was head of state in 2006 when Akbar Bugti was killed during an army operation.
According to the report, his lawyer Ibrahim Satti said a three-member Supreme Court bench had granted Musharraf bail in the Bugti case in return for surety bonds worth two million rupees.
Another counsel for Musharraf, Qamar Afzal, said bail was granted due to lack of evidence.