PTI, TTAP condemn arrest of Imran Khan's sister Aleema Khan in Lahore
Synopsis
Imran Khan's sister Aleema Khan has been detained in Lahore for 30 days under the Punjab MPO Ordinance — no formal charges filed — just days before a major PTI-led protest on 27 September. Both PTI and TTAP have condemned the move as a deliberate pre-march crackdown, while Khan's son and nephew allege it amounts to abduction by a 'fascist government.'
Key Takeaways
Aleema Khan , sister of former PM Imran Khan , was detained in Lahore on 20 September for 30 days under the Punjab MPO Ordinance, 1960 .
PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan condemned the arrest as the 'first step towards worsening the situation' and promised imminent party action.
TTAP said Aleema Khan was held under 3-MPO with no formal charges and described it as an escalating crackdown on political families.
Her son Shahrez Khan alleged she was 'abducted' after leaving home; she reportedly holds bail in all Lahore cases against her.
Imran Khan's son Kasim Khan called it the 'behaviour of a fascist government' and appealed for international attention.
The detention comes ahead of a major protest scheduled for 27 September , which critics say prompted the pre-emptive crackdown.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Sunday, 20 September condemned the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan's sister Aleema Khan in Lahore, calling it the 'first step towards worsening the situation.' The detention, confirmed by the Lahore deputy commissioner, was ordered for 30 days under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance, 1960, citing concerns over public safety.
What Happened
Aleema Khan was detained on Sunday morning, according to her son Shahrez Khan, who alleged she was 'abducted' after leaving home. Her son said she holds bail in all active cases against her in Lahore and demanded the government disclose her whereabouts immediately. Separately, the Lahore DC's order also confirmed the 30-day detention of her driver, Muhammad Ameer, under the same ordinance, according to reports citing The Express Tribune.
PTI's Response and Demands
Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, in a post on X, stated that Noreen Niazi Sahiba — Aleema Khan's sister — had informed him of the arrest by phone. He reaffirmed PTI's commitment to peaceful protest and political struggle, warning that the detention amounts to 'fueling violence and tension.' He announced that PTI would 'soon announce its course of action' against such measures and demanded Aleema Khan's immediate release.
'We strongly condemn this — This is the first step towards worsening the situation — All such measures should be stopped immediately,' Gohar Ali Khan wrote, adding that the party would formally respond in the coming days.
TTAP Joins the Condemnation
The Tehreek Tahafuz Aain Pakistan (TTAP) also condemned the detention, describing it as an escalation of an 'ongoing crackdown on political workers and their families.' The alliance noted that Aleema Khan had been held under the 3-MPO without any formal charges and warned that her arrest had created fear among political workers. TTAP alleged that the Punjab government has been systematically targeting political workers ahead of a protest scheduled for 27 September, according to reports.
Family Reactions and Allegations
Imran Khan's son, Kasim Khan, alleged on X that police had 'abducted' his aunt and characterised it as the 'behaviour of a fascist government.' He called on authorities to grant Aleema Khan's family and lawyers immediate access to her and demanded full disclosure of where she is being held. 'First they imprisoned my father. Now they are coming after his family,' Kasim Khan wrote, urging international attention on the situation in Pakistan.
Context: Crackdown Before Planned Protest
The detention comes days before a major political march that PTI and allied groups have scheduled for 27 September. Critics argue the use of the decades-old MPO Ordinance against family members of political leaders signals a broadening of the government's pre-protest crackdown. This is reportedly not the first time PTI-linked individuals have been detained under preventive detention orders ahead of planned demonstrations, underscoring a pattern of pre-emptive legal action that opposition groups have consistently challenged. The situation remains fluid, with PTI promising to announce further steps shortly.
Point of View
And the use of the 1960-era MPO as a political tool is precisely the kind of move that feeds the PTI narrative of authoritarian overreach. The pattern is consistent: ahead of each major PTI mobilisation, preventive detentions have mounted, and each detention has, historically, stoked rather than suppressed turnout. Pakistan's civil-military establishment may be calculating that disrupting PTI's organisational network before 27 September is worth the reputational cost, but family arrests carry a distinct symbolic charge that ordinary worker detentions do not — and that charge travels internationally, as Kasim Khan's appeal to 'the world' signals. The government has yet to present any public justification beyond the boilerplate 'public order' language of the MPO.
NationPress
20 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Aleema Khan arrested in Lahore?
Aleema Khan was detained for 30 days under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance, 1960, with the Lahore deputy commissioner's order citing concerns about public safety and maintaining public order. No formal criminal charges have been reported against her.
What has PTI said about the arrest?
PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan condemned the detention on X, calling it the 'first step towards worsening the situation.' He demanded Aleema Khan's immediate release and said PTI would soon announce its formal course of action in response.
What is the significance of the 27 September protest?
PTI and allied groups, including TTAP, have scheduled a major political protest for 27 September. Critics and opposition groups allege that the government is using preventive detentions under the MPO to disrupt political organisation and suppress turnout ahead of the march.
What is the MPO Ordinance used to detain Aleema Khan?
The Punjab Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance, 1960, is a colonial-era law that allows authorities to detain individuals preventively for up to 30 days without formal criminal charges if they are deemed a threat to public order. Opposition groups in Pakistan have repeatedly criticised its use against political figures and their families.
