Imran’s sisters remain behind bars as LHC plea filed

A fresh petition has been filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC), seeking the release of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s three

LAHORE: A fresh petition has been filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC), seeking the release of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s three sisters, who remain in custody despite the expiry of their 30-day detention period.

Shahrez Khan, the son of Aleema Khan, approached the court on Wednesday, requesting the production and release of his mother and his aunts, Noreen Niazi and Uzma Khan.

The three women were detained in September under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance, 1960, as the PTI prepared for a planned protest march towards Islamabad.

According to the petition, the detention orders were issued on September 20 and expired on October 19. However, the sisters remain at Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail despite requests for their release.

The petition, filed through Advocate Rana Mudassar Umar, names the Punjab home secretary, inspector general of police, Lahore capital city police officer and Kot Lakhpat jail superintendent as respondents.

It argues that keeping the women in detention beyond the stipulated period is unlawful and violates their fundamental rights. The petitioner further maintains that the three sisters are not wanted in any criminal case and expresses concern that they could face what he describes as false criminal charges if they are not released.

The plea also alleges that the detentions are linked to the sisters’ efforts to secure their brother’s release. It contends that preventive detention should not be used as a substitute for proceedings under ordinary criminal law.

The petitioner has asked the court to declare the detention orders invalid, suspend their operation and direct the jail superintendent to produce the women before the court and release them.

The case has been scheduled for hearing on Thursday before Justice Abher Gul Khan.