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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Imran Khan released from prison | Imran Khan released from prison |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| The Pakistan opposition politician, Imran Khan, has been released from prison in southern Punjab where he has been held under anti-terrorism laws. | The Pakistan opposition politician, Imran Khan, has been released from prison in southern Punjab where he has been held under anti-terrorism laws. |
| The former cricketer was arrested by police last week after attending a protest at Punjab University in Lahore. | The former cricketer was arrested by police last week after attending a protest at Punjab University in Lahore. |
| On Monday, Mr Khan began a hunger strike in protest at his detention. | On Monday, Mr Khan began a hunger strike in protest at his detention. |
| He is demanding the restoration of the constitution and the reinstatement of supreme court judges who were sacked after emergency rule was declared. | He is demanding the restoration of the constitution and the reinstatement of supreme court judges who were sacked after emergency rule was declared. |
| Mr Khan's release comes a day after Pakistani authorities freed more than 3,000 people who were detained under emergency regulations imposed by President Pervez Musharraf on 3 November. | Mr Khan's release comes a day after Pakistani authorities freed more than 3,000 people who were detained under emergency regulations imposed by President Pervez Musharraf on 3 November. |
| A spokesman for the interior ministry said many others would be released soon. | A spokesman for the interior ministry said many others would be released soon. |
| Unexpected release | |
| A senior leader of Mr Khan's Tehrik-i-Insaf party, Omar Cheema, told the BBC that he had been released from Dera Ghazi Khan jail on Wednesday. | |
| The prison's superintendent, Sheikh Inamur Rehman, later confirmed the release, adding that it had been carried out on the instructions of the provincial government at 1945 local time (1445 GMT). | The prison's superintendent, Sheikh Inamur Rehman, later confirmed the release, adding that it had been carried out on the instructions of the provincial government at 1945 local time (1445 GMT). |
| Imran Khan's sister, Allema, said she was concerned by his health | |
| "I personally saw him off at the prison gate," he told the AFP news agency. | "I personally saw him off at the prison gate," he told the AFP news agency. |
| The BBC's Chris Morris had travelled to the prison with three of Mr Khan's sisters earlier on Wednesday, only hours before his unexpected release. | |
| After visiting him inside, Mr Khan's sister Allema confirmed he had eaten no food since Monday and drunk as little as 100ml of liquid over the past two days. | |
| She said her brother appeared rather weak and that they were very concerned by his deteriorating health. | |
| "But he chided us for showing weakness and he said we should urge the youth of Pakistan to go on a token hunger strike to press for the restoration of the judiciary," Ms Khan added. | |
| Our correspondent says Mr Khan's family were as surprised as anyone by his release. | |
| When 3,000 detainees were released on Monday, the Pakistani interior ministry said that anyone who had been charged would not be released anytime soon. | |
| Mr Khan's release may therefore be partly because his detention was making waves internationally and causing embarrassment for the government, our correspondent says. | |
| While he may not be one of the leading politicians in Pakistan, Mr Khan is a known name around the world, he adds. |