Imran Khan’s Three Sisters Detained for 30 Days Ahead of PTI Protest
LAHORE: The three sisters of former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan have been detained in Lahore for 30 days, just days before the party’s planned protest and march on September 27.
Aleema Khan was detained on September 20, while Dr Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi were detained the following day. All three were placed under preventive detention orders issued under Section 3 of the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance, 1960. They were subsequently taken to Central Jail, Kot Lakhpat.
The detentions have added another development to the political situation surrounding PTI’s planned September 27 protest, which the party says is linked to its demand for Imran Khan’s release.
Aleema Khan Detained First
Aleema Khan was the first of the three sisters to be detained. The detention order issued by the Lahore deputy commissioner directed that she be held for 30 days under the MPO.
According to the order, police and intelligence reports raised concerns about her alleged involvement in the May 9, 2023 protests and road blockades. Authorities also alleged that she had encouraged workers to damage public and government property and had been involved in mobilising people through social media and public meetings.
The order further referred to allegations involving slogans against the government and state institutions and cited several cases in support of the request for preventive detention. Authorities said the detention was necessary because her presence in public could create concerns for public safety and the maintenance of public order.
PTI rejected the allegations surrounding Aleema’s detention. Party representatives described the action as unlawful and said the planned September 27 protest would remain peaceful. These statements represent the party’s position and have not been independently established as facts.
Uzma and Noreen Also Detained
A day after Aleema’s detention, Dr Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi were also placed under 30-day detention orders.
The orders stated that the two women had allegedly been involved in activities connected with the May 9 protests and had encouraged PTI workers to damage public or government property. The authorities also alleged that they had used social media and public gatherings to mobilise workers and had raised slogans that could contribute to a public-order situation.
The detention orders were issued after the matter was considered by the District Intelligence Committee in Lahore. The authorities relied on material and reports submitted by police and intelligence officials before recommending preventive detention.
The three sisters are being held under preventive detention rather than being sentenced to imprisonment through a criminal trial. This distinction is important because an MPO detention order is an administrative measure intended to prevent a person from taking part in activities that authorities believe could threaten public order.
What the MPO Law Means
The Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, commonly known as the MPO, allows authorities to place individuals in preventive detention in circumstances involving concerns about public safety or the maintenance of public order.
Section 3 of the ordinance provides the legal basis for certain preventive detention orders. In this case, the Lahore administration used the provision to order the detention of Imran Khan’s three sisters for 30 days.
The authorities’ orders contain allegations about previous protests, mobilisation of political workers and possible disruption of public order. The allegations are part of the grounds cited for the detention and should be distinguished from findings reached through a full criminal trial.
Detentions Challenged in Court
The detention of the three sisters has also become a matter before the Lahore High Court.
A petition challenging the preventive detention orders was filed on behalf of the family. The petition argues that the Lahore administration did not properly follow the legal procedure required under the MPO and that the detention orders did not provide sufficient specific grounds.
The petition also argues that less restrictive measures were not properly considered and raises questions about whether the required grounds for detention were communicated within the applicable period. The court will determine how the legal challenge proceeds.
This legal challenge means that the detention orders are now being examined through the judicial process, while the three women remain in custody under the orders issued by the district administration.
September 27 Protest Remains in Focus
The detentions have taken place less than a week before PTI’s planned September 27 protest and march.
PTI has announced the protest as part of its campaign for the release of Imran Khan. Party leaders have said the activity will be political and peaceful, while government officials have indicated that authorities will take steps to maintain public order and prevent disruption in Islamabad.
The government’s position is that public roads and other important locations cannot be occupied in a way that disrupts public movement or creates a law-and-order problem. PTI, meanwhile, continues to maintain that its planned activity is a political protest.
With the protest date approaching, the legal proceedings concerning the three sisters and the authorities’ preparations for September 27 are likely to remain closely connected developments.
Family Meetings Also Affected
The detention of the three sisters has also created difficulties for Imran Khan’s family in arranging meetings with him.
Other family members have been expected to travel to Adiala Jail in an effort to meet the PTI founder and raise concerns about the implementation of court directions regarding family meetings.
The situation has therefore developed on two fronts: the legal challenge against the sisters’ preventive detention and the political preparations surrounding PTI’s September 27 protest.
For now, Aleema Khan, Dr Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi remain under 30-day detention orders, while the court challenge and the government’s response to the upcoming protest continue to develop.
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