Imran Khan's sisters detained 30 days: Lahore High Court petition filed
Synopsis
Three sisters of jailed former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan — Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan, and Noreen Niazi — have been placed under 30-day preventive detention by the Lahore Deputy Commissioner, just days before a scheduled PTI protest on 27 September. A Lahore High Court petition filed by Aleema Khan's son calls the orders illegal and demands their immediate release — raising sharp questions about the use of MPO powers ahead of a political rally.
Key Takeaways
Aleema Khan , Uzma Khan , and Noreen Niazi — sisters of former PM Imran Khan — were placed under 30-day detention under the MPO Ordinance by the Lahore Deputy Commissioner .
Detentions occurred on 20–21 September , days ahead of a PTI protest scheduled for 27 September .
Shahraiz Khan , Aleema Khan's son, filed a petition in the Lahore High Court on 21 September calling the orders illegal and demanding immediate release.
The petition alleges Aleema Khan was arrested while on a personal errand, with no threat to public order present, and that the order lacked legally justifiable grounds.
Kasim Khan , Imran Khan's son, condemned the detentions as 'criminal behaviour' and called for international intervention in an X post .
Aleema Khan and her driver Muhammad Ameer are being held at Lahore Central Jail .
A petition challenging the 30-day detention orders issued against Imran Khan's three sisters — Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan, and Noreen Niazi — was filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday, 21 September, seeking their immediate release. The petition was lodged by Shahraiz Khan, son of Aleema Khan, according to reports citing Pakistani daily The Express Tribune.
What the Petition Argues
In his petition, Shahraiz Khan has requested the court to declare the Lahore Deputy Commissioner's detention order null and void and direct the immediate release of all three women. He alleged that the order, dated 20 September, was illegal and unlawful, contending it was issued on the verbal recommendation of local police and, reportedly, at the instigation of political rivals.
The petition stated that Aleema Khan was arrested while travelling with her driver for personal work, with no public gathering or threat to public order present at the time. According to the filing, the detention order failed to cite any specific activity by Aleema Khan that could legally justify preventive detention. She has been held at Lahore Central Jail along with her driver, Muhammad Ameer.
Sequence of Detentions
Aleema Khan was the first of the three sisters to be detained, with a 30-day detention order issued by the Lahore DC under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance. Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi were subsequently detained for 30 days on Monday, a day after Aleema Khan's arrest.
The detentions come ahead of a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest scheduled for 27 September. Critics argue the timing suggests the state is using preventive detention laws to suppress political mobilisation by the party of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Family Condemns the Arrests
Kasim Khan, Imran Khan's son, condemned the detentions of his aunts Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi, calling it 'criminal behaviour.' In a post on X, Kasim Khan stated: 'This is a disgrace. Now my Aunts Dr. Uzma and Noreen, along with my cousins Shershah and Shahrez have now been abducted as well. They have broken into my aunties and cousins houses and forced them into vehicles with no explanation. No reasons for arrest have been stated.'
He added: 'No news has been released as to where they have been taken. This is criminal behaviour. Inexcusable. The Pakistani people are petrified of their own leaders. No upstanding nation should tolerate this criminal establishment. Intervention is now imperative. The world MUST take action.'
Kasim Khan also urged the international community to intervene on the matter.
Broader Context
This is not the first time PTI-affiliated family members have faced legal or administrative action in the run-up to planned protests. The use of MPO Ordinance provisions — which allow preventive detention without trial — has drawn repeated criticism from human rights groups, who argue such powers are being wielded as political instruments. The Lahore High Court, which has previously scrutinised preventive detention orders in PTI-related cases, is now the focal point of the legal challenge.
The respondents named in the petition include the Secretary of the Home Department, the Lahore DC, the Capital City Police Officer, and the Superintendent of Lahore Central Jail. A court ruling on the petition is awaited as the 27 September PTI protest date draws closer.
Point of View
Which is well-documented, but the breadth: three family members, including cousins, detained in rapid succession with no stated reasons. The Lahore High Court has overturned similarly-framed MPO orders before, which is likely why the family moved to court within hours. The real question is whether a favourable ruling, if it comes, will arrive before 27 September — and whether these arrests will galvanise or suppress PTI's street presence on that date.
NationPress
21 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why were Imran Khan's sisters detained?
Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan, and Noreen Niazi were placed under 30-day preventive detention by the Lahore Deputy Commissioner under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance, reportedly ahead of a PTI protest scheduled for 27 September 2026. No specific activity justifying the detention was cited in the orders, according to the petition filed in the Lahore High Court.
Who filed the petition in the Lahore High Court?
Shahraiz Khan, son of Aleema Khan, filed the petition in the Lahore High Court on 21 September challenging the 30-day detention orders. He named the Secretary of the Home Department, the Lahore DC, the Capital City Police Officer, and the Superintendent of Lahore Central Jail as respondents.
What is the MPO Ordinance under which the sisters were detained?
The Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance is a Pakistani law that allows authorities to detain individuals preventively — without trial — if they are deemed a threat to public order. Critics, including human rights organisations, argue the law is frequently misused as a political tool to suppress dissent and curtail protest activity.
What did Kasim Khan say about the detentions?
Kasim Khan, Imran Khan's son, posted on X calling the detentions a 'disgrace' and 'criminal behaviour,' alleging that his aunts and cousins were 'abducted' from their homes with no explanation or stated reasons for arrest. He urged the international community to intervene, saying 'the world MUST take action.'
When is the PTI protest that prompted the detentions?
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has a protest scheduled for 27 September 2026. The 30-day detention orders were issued on 20 and 21 September, days before the planned rally, which critics say indicates the detentions are a pre-emptive move to weaken PTI's mobilisation capacity.
