The Peshawar High Court has issued an order for the release of individuals who were detained under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) in various parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following violent protests in the country on May 9 and 10.

Additionally, the court has declared the imposition of the MPO as “illegal”. The verdict, which was reserved a day earlier, was announced by a bench consisting of Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Syed Arshad Ali.

During the hearing of approximately 240 identical petitions challenging the arrest of PTI activists, the court set aside their detention and directed that those arrested should undergo regular legal proceedings if they were required in any other cases.

The majority of petitioners are from districts such as Peshawar, Swabi, Kohat, Hangu, Mardan, Nowshera, and Swat.