Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday, 29 October raised serious concern over the deteriorating health of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's sister, Noreen Niazi, who is currently imprisoned, and over the decision by jail authorities to transfer her to the Punjab Institute of Cardiology without informing her family. The party alleged that no family member had been given any update about her condition.

What PTI Has Said

PTI leader Sheikh Waqas Akram shared the party's central media department statement on social media platform X, noting that reports had emerged of Noreen Niazi being taken to the Punjab Institute of Cardiology after she fell ill inside jail. The party described the situation as 'extremely regrettable and concerning,' demanding that the Punjab government and relevant authorities provide immediate clarification on the circumstances of her hospital transfer.

'The alleged illegal detention of 70-year-old Noreen Niazi, the risks to her health, and her hospital transfer without taking the family into confidence are extremely serious matters, on which the Punjab government and relevant authorities must provide immediate clarification,' PTI stated.

Key Demands From the Party

PTI called for Noreen Niazi to receive the best available medical care under specialised cardiologists, with all necessary diagnostic tests and treatment to be ensured without delay. The party also demanded that her health information be shared immediately with family members, and that they be permitted to meet her and inquire about her well-being.

More broadly, PTI condemned the treatment of what it described as 'innocent women' held in detention, arguing that 'turning political affiliation into a crime and holding women in detention for political pressure is unacceptable in any civilised and democratic society.'

Legal Background and Lawyer's Account

Noreen Niazi's lawyer, Rana Mudassar Umer, confirmed, according to reports from Pakistani daily Dawn, that she had been transferred to the Punjab Institute of Cardiology on Wednesday on the recommendation of jail doctors. The lawyer alleged that jail authorities had not been providing medicines to Imran Khan's sisters and that the family was kept uninformed about the worsening situation.

Notably, Noreen Niazi along with two other sisters of Imran Khan — Aleema Khan and Uzma Khan — have been held in prison since 21 September under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960 (MPO), on orders of the Lahore Deputy Commissioner. Their initial 30-day detention was extended on 7 October, and all three are currently serving a second term under the MPO.

Broader Context

This development comes amid sustained political tension in Pakistan, with PTI and the authorities in Punjab having been at loggerheads over the detention of party members and associates since the political crackdown that followed the events of 2023. The use of the MPO — a colonial-era public order law — to detain relatives of political figures has drawn criticism from rights groups. This is not the first time PTI has flagged medical neglect concerns for its imprisoned members; Imran Khan himself has repeatedly raised similar issues regarding his own incarceration.

With Noreen Niazi's condition now reported as serious enough to require specialist cardiac intervention, the pressure on authorities to ensure transparency is set to intensify in the days ahead.