KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday granted General (retd) Pervez Musharraf's request for protective bail in various cases pending against him, DawnNews reported. The cases in which the former military ruler has been granted bail include the Benazir Bhutto murder case, the case on the killing of Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Bugti and one pertaining to the deposing of Supreme Court judges.

The court moreover directed the former president to submit bail money amounting to rupees 100,000 in each case.

The 14-day-long protective bail was approved in response to a constitutional petition filed in the SHC by Musharraf's daughter Ayla Raza on behalf of her father.  The petition requested the court for protective bail so that the former ruler could appear in the trial court to defend himself.

The petition said Musharraf  planned to return to the country but apprehended arrest for his alleged involvement in different cases, including Benazir Bhutto’s assassination, Akbar Bugti’ murder and the Lal Masjid operation case in which scores were killed.

Musharraf, who seized power in 1999 and left the country after stepping down in 2008, has vowed to return home on Sunday to contest the May 11 general election, but is wanted in Pakistan for conspiracy to murder and illegally arresting judges.