Authorities in Pakistan's Punjab province have intensified administrative measures against the family of former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan. On Monday, Lahore officials ordered the detention of two more of his sisters, Dr. Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi, placing them under preventive custody for a duration of 30 days. This step closely follows the detention on Sunday of their sister Aleema Khan, who was subsequently transferred to Kot Lakhpat jail. The crackdown comes directly ahead of a planned nationwide demonstration and march to Islamabad scheduled by PTI for September 27.
Preventive Orders Under Public Order Laws
The formal detention directive for Noreen Niazi and Dr. Uzma Khan was issued by the Lahore Deputy Commissioner office under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960 (MPO). The decision was reached during a meeting chaired by Lahore DC Muhammad Ali Ijaz, where panel members reviewed and accepted evidence presented by the local police. The administration concluded that the presence of both individuals in public spaces posed a credible threat to public safety and would likely cause a breakdown in peace and order.
Under the terms of the administrative order, both sisters will remain in custody under the direct supervision of the superintendent of Central Jail, Kot Lakhpat. The MPO legislation grants executive authorities significant leeway to mandate preventive confinement while severely limiting the scope of immediate judicial review over such actions.
Allegations Linking to May 9 and Ongoing Agitation
Official records cited in the detention order allege that both women were actively involved in the widespread unrest that occurred on May 9. According to the document, they provoked party cadres to vandalise and destroy both state and public infrastructure during those events. Furthermore, the authorities stated that the sisters have continued to mobilise supporters through various social media channels and public gatherings to disrupt law and order.
The administrative findings highlight that they have been leading provocative slogans against government institutions, prompting multiple prior legal cases. The DC office concluded that failure to restrict the activities of such individuals could lead to an environment severely detrimental to general public tranquility and safety across the district.
September 27 Agitation and Opposition Reaction
The party has called for a major mobilization and march toward the capital on September 27, primarily demanding the release of Imran Khan from prison and advocating for the preservation of constitutional order. The party asserts that the state is deploying pre-emptive arrests to thwart public participation in the upcoming demonstration.
In a post published early Monday on X, PTI central information secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram sharply criticised the actions of the Punjab police. He alleged that law enforcement personnel detained both sisters alongside their children and the sons of Aleema Khan. Akram further claimed that the family members were forced into an armoured personnel carrier and transported to an undisclosed location.
