Police in Lahore have detained the three sisters of jailed former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan as his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party prepares for a planned march toward Islamabad on September 27.
Aleema Khan, Khan’s sister who has been active in protests calling for his release, was detained at her Lahore home on September 20. A Lahore district administration order placed her under detention for 30 days under Pakistan’s Maintenance of Public Order law, citing concerns over public safety.
The following day, Khan’s other sisters, Dr Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi, were also detained for 30 days under the same law. They were taken to Kot Lakhpat Jail, where Aleema had already been transferred. Their detention has since been challenged before the Lahore High Court.
Authorities have cited public-order concerns in the detention orders. The documents concerning Uzma and Noreen allege that their activities could contribute to unrest and refer to previous cases linked to protests. Their legal challenge argues that the detention orders were unlawful and did not provide sufficient specific grounds for the arrests.
The arrests come as PTI prepares for a nationwide protest and a march to Islamabad demanding Imran Khan’s release. PTI leaders have said the party intends to proceed with the September 27 action, while Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has warned that the government will take measures to prevent the march from going ahead.
The crackdown has reportedly extended beyond Khan’s immediate family. PTI says numerous party workers and lawmakers have also been detained ahead of the planned protest, although the figures and circumstances of individual detentions are disputed.
The developments have increased pressure ahead of September 27, with authorities preparing for possible disruptions in the capital while PTI maintains that it will proceed with its protest.
With all three of Imran Khan’s sisters now in custody and the party refusing to abandon its planned march, attention is turning to whether the September 27 protest will proceed as planned — and how Pakistan’s authorities will respond if large numbers of supporters attempt to reach Islamabad.
