Two sisters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, Dr Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi, have been detained in Lahore amid heightened political tensions ahead of the party’s planned September 27 protest and march towards Islamabad.
The development followed the detention of another of Imran Khan’s sisters, Aleema Khan, who was taken into custody a day earlier under Section 3 of the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance. Lahore’s deputy commissioner had ordered her detention for 30 days, citing concerns related to public safety and maintenance of law and order.
PTI initially claimed that Punjab police had taken Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi into custody along with some of their family members. PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said the family members were taken away in an armoured vehicle, while PTI lawyer Awais Younas Chaudhry also said the two women had been taken into custody.
Subsequent reports said Uzma and Noreen were detained for 30 days under Section 3 of the MPO on orders of the Lahore deputy commissioner. According to Dunya News, the two women were detained following a police recommendation over concerns about a possible threat to public order and were later transferred to jail.
The detentions come as PTI prepares for a countrywide protest and march to Islamabad on September 27. The party has said the mobilisation is intended to demand Imran Khan’s release and what it describes as the supremacy of the Constitution and rule of law.
PTI has condemned the detentions and alleged that authorities are targeting members of Imran Khan’s family ahead of the planned protest. The party has also raised concerns about the treatment and whereabouts of family members taken into custody.
The latest action has added to political tensions between PTI and the government. Authorities have indicated that measures will be taken to maintain public order during the planned mobilisation, while PTI leadership has continued preparations for the September 27 protest.
The detention of Imran Khan’s sisters is therefore likely to remain a significant issue in the political debate surrounding the upcoming protest. The developments also highlight the continued tensions between PTI and authorities as both sides prepare for the September 27 mobilisation.
