Islamabad: Pakistan Supreme Court today (Nov 22, 2004) granted bail to husband of self-exiled former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in connection with several cases of corruption against him.

Amidst reports of reapproachment between Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and Benazir Bhutto, Asif Zardari was today granted bail after spending eight years in prison.

Bhutto was twice Prime Minister of Pakistan, but her Governments were dismissed in both 1990 and 1996 for alleged corruption.

Zardari was arrested on Nov 5, 1996, a day before the dismissal of Benazir Bhutto's Government by then President Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari. Ever since he has been held in prisons in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.

In September, a court overturned Zardari's conviction for receiving kickbacks from the State-run Pakistan Steel Mills in 1995, during his wife's tenure, for which he was sentenced for seven years.

However, he has remained in custody awaiting trial on at least nine other corruption and criminal cases, all registered against him since 1996. Bhutto's party contends that the cases are politically motivated.

Benazir, who lives in exile in Dubai and in London has been accusing Musharraf's regime of pressurising her party by continuing the detention of Zardari.

Zardari's release apparently came after intense speculation that a rapproachement between Musharraf and Bhutto is expected to herald a political realignment of forces in Pakistan where PPP (Pakistan People's Party) may extend support to Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Government following political understanding behind the scenes.

"Now that a beginning has been made, PPP will redraw its strategy to vis-a- vis the Government," PPP sources said.

The release also comes after the 14-party alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) headed by senior PPP leader Mukhdoom Amin Fahim announced its plans to conduct mass agitation against Musharraf's continuation as Army Chief after Dec 31, 2004.