Pakistan ? One of Pakistan’s most outspoken opposition leaders emerged from prison to a cheering crowd Saturday and vowed to press his campaign against President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, who is already struggling with rising dissent and militant violence.

Attacks and clashes killed 23 people in the northern tribal regions, where pro-Taliban militants have been waging a campaign against Musharraf’s administration, a key U.S. ally in the fight against terrorism.

The Supreme Court granted Javed Hashmi the acting president of the exiled former prime minister’s party, bail Friday after he served four years of a 23-year sentence on charges of treason and inciting an army mutiny against Musharraf.