Shah Mehmood Qureshi, vice chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was detained in connection with the violent protests on May 9 and the Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered his immediate release on Tuesday.

The former foreign minister Qureshi has been detained more than thrice since his initial detention.

Qureshi shall no longer be held in custody in accordance with the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance (MPO), the LHC’s Rawalpindi Bench said during a hearing on a petition challenging his arrest.

The court also deemed the MPO orders issued by the Rawalpindi deputy commissioner to be invalid and ordered the PTI vice chairman’s immediate release from custody without the requirement that he deposit surety bonds.

The government’s side was represented by Assistant Attorney General Abid Aziz Rajouri, while Qureshi’s daughter Gohar Bano Malik and attorney Taimoor Malik were on the PTI leader’s side.