The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), early on Monday, alleged that three sisters of incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan have been “arrested” alongside their children, adding they have been taken to an “unknown” location.
A day earlier, police in Lahore detained Khan’s sister Aleema Khan after the Lahore deputy commissioner ordered her detention or arrest for 30 days. The arrest came amidst reports of an ongoing crackdown against the PTI ahead of its Sept. 27 long march on Islamabad. The party has said the march aims to secure Khan’s release from jail and mobilize the public for the supremacy of the Constitution.
Writing on X, PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram alleged Punjab Police had arrested both Noreen Niazi and Dr. Uzma Khan, as well as their children and the sons of Aleema Khan. “They have been placed in an armored vehicle and are being taken to an unknown location,” he wrote, condemning the action and declaring it illegal.
Subsequently, the PTI also wrote on X from its official account, condemning the “illegal and high handed” actions of the Punjab Police. “This is a blatant abuse of authority, a violation of fundamental rights, and an act of political victimization,” it said.
“Targeting women and children of a political family in this manner exposes the true face of the Punjab Government and Punjab Police. Such conduct is illegal, unconstitutional, and is condemned in the strongest possible terms,” it wrote, demanding the immediate disclosure of the whereabouts of the entire family, their safe return, and their production before a court of law.
On Sunday, following reports of Aleema’s detention, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan said he learnt of the incident from Noreen Niaza. He warned arrested Aleema was tantamount to promoting violence and increasing political tensions.
“We strongly condemn Aleema Khan’s arrest; this is the first step towards worsening the situation,” he said. “We have always made it clear that our march will be peaceful and political,” he maintained, adding the party’s objective was to pursue its constitutional and political demands through peaceful struggle. “We do not want any kind of confrontation or violence,” he added.
Demanding an end to all such measures, he called for Aleema’s immediate release. He also said the party would soon a strategy to counter such measures.
According to the PTI chairman, several PTI lawmakers have been detained in the lead-up to the march. He emphasized the need to secure political solutions to political problems and urged all sides to take a step back to ease tensions.
Last month, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announced the PTI would march on Islamabad on Sept. 27. Since then, he has sought to mobilize public support through road-shows in his province, Sindh, and Punjab. The party’s plans would coincide with two other planned marches on Islamabad—one by the Jamaat-e-Islami seeking an end to the petroleum development levy and another by farmers in Punjab demanding the resignation of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.