Islamabad [Pakistan], September 21 : Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi, sisters of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, were detained for a period of 30 days on Monday, following the detention of their sister Aleema Khan a day earlier under an order issued by the Lahore Deputy Commissioner, as reported by local media.
The detentions of Imran Khan's three sisters precede the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party's scheduled protest and march towards Islamabad, which is planned for September 27. According to a report by the Pakistan-based daily Dawn, the Lahore Deputy Commissioner's office issued an order on September 20 directing the 30-day detention of Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960, citing that both individuals were "prejudicial to the public safety and maintenance of public order."
The notification specified that Noreen Niazi and Uzma Khan would be held in custody under the superintendent of Central Jail, Kot Lakhpat.
On Sunday, PTI chairman Gohar Ali Khan condemned the apprehension of Aleema Khan, describing the action as the "first step towards worsening the situation." He demanded her immediate release and noted that the party would shortly announce its response.
In a statement posted on X, he stated, "Noreen Niazi Sahiba informed me over the phone about the arrest of Aleema Khan Sahiba. We have always made it clear that our march will be peaceful and political. We aim to wage a peaceful struggle for our constitutional and political demands; we do not want any confrontation or violence. In such a situation, arresting Aleema Khan Sahiba or keeping her under house arrest under MPO is tantamount to fuelling violence and tension."
"We strongly condemn this. This is the first step towards worsening the situation. All such measures should be stopped immediately. We demand the immediate release of Aleema Khan Sahiba. The party will soon announce its course of action against such measures," he added, as cited in the report.
Gohar Ali Khan's remarks followed a Lahore Deputy Commissioner's directive on Sunday confirming that Aleema Khan had been placed under a 30-day detention order pursuant to the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance, 1960. Another Pakistan-based daily, The Express Tribune, reported that the Lahore Deputy Commissioner also ordered a 30-day detention for Aleema Khan's driver, Muhammad Ameer.
Shahrez Khan, the son of Aleema Khan, claimed that his mother was taken away after departing from home on Sunday morning, adding that she had secured bail across all legal cases pending against her in Lahore. He called upon the authorities to reveal her location and guarantee her prompt release.
"My mother, Aleema Khan, was abducted after leaving home this morning. Our family has had no contact or news of her whereabouts. She is on bail in all cases against her in Lahore. We demand the government immediately disclose her whereabouts and ensure her safe return," Shahrez Khan posted on X.
Similarly, Imran Khan's son, Kasim Khan, asserted that law enforcement personnel had taken his aunt Aleema Khan into custody in Lahore, characterising the incident as the "behaviour of a fascist government." He called for authorities to grant her relatives and legal counsel access to her while demanding her immediate release.
"Today, my aunt, Aleema Khan, has been abducted by police in Lahore. Our family has been told nothing about where she has been taken. Her family and lawyers cannot reach her. This is the behaviour of a fascist government, abducting people, terrorising families, and trampling human rights, due process, and the rule of law while pretending to stand for democracy," Kasim Khan wrote on X.
"First they imprisoned my father. Now they are coming after his family. We demand immediate access to her for her family and lawyers, full disclosure of where she is being held, and her immediate release. The world cannot keep looking away from what is happening in Pakistan," he said.