Pakistani authorities have freed Imran Khan from prison, where he has been detained for the last week under anti-terrorism laws.
Mr Khan was released on instructions from the provincial government.
Mr Khan was detained and charged under anti-terrorism laws after he tried to lead a student protest in Lahore against a state of emergency imposed by President Pervez Musharraf.
He began a hunger strike on Monday.
Mr Khan's sister Allema earlier said Khan had stopped drinking water and that he was increasingly weak on the third day of his hunger strike.
Officials said Mr Khan would be among more than 250 prisoners being released in Punjab, the most populous of Pakistan's four provinces.
Caretaker governments took power in Pakistan's provinces on Monday to prepare for national and provincial elections on 8 January.
Authorities have released more than 5,000 lawyers, political workers and rights activists who were arrested under emergency rule since Mr Musharraf declared a state of emergency on 3 November.
