Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan has been granted bail in a case related to an alleged leak of state secrets, his lawyer said on Friday. The country's Supreme Court ruling does not necessarily mean Mr Khan will be released from prison, where he has been since August after being convicted on corruption charges involving the personal sale of state gifts.
There are several other arrest warrants against Mr Khan which could prevent him from being released, his lawyer told reporters outside the hearing.
The three-member bench of the court granted bail to Mr Khan and his deputy party leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi, subject to surety bonds of one million Pakistani rupees ($3,600) each.
Mr Khan has faced a range of charges since he was ousted from office in April 2022.
The state secrets charge is related to a classified cable sent to Islamabad by Pakistan's ambassador in Washington last year, which Khan is accused of making public.
Mr Khan denies the charge and says the cable appeared in the media from other sources.
The ruling comes ahead of the country's general election in February.
Mr Khan is currently banned from standing in the election due to the corruption charge, but has said he plans to run regardless. The National
