LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday summoned the Punjab home secretary and the superintendent of Kot Lakhpat Jail over the continued detention of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s three sisters, despite the expiry of their 30-day detention period.
Justice Abher Gul Khan adjourned further proceedings until October 28 and directed both officials to appear before the court and explain why Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi had not been released after their detention orders expired.
The three women were detained in September under Section 3 of the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance, 1960, ahead of PTI’s planned protest march towards Islamabad on September 27.
Aleema Khan was detained on September 20, while Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi were taken into custody the following day.
Why Were Imran Khan’s Sisters Detained?
The 30-day detention orders were issued by the Lahore deputy commissioner on the basis of police reports alleging that the women’s activities posed a threat to public safety and the maintenance of public order.
The sisters challenged their detention in the Lahore High Court, seeking the annulment of the orders and their immediate release.
On September 25, the court declined to suspend the detention notifications against Uzma and Noreen at that stage and sought responses from the relevant authorities.
However, according to a fresh petition filed by Aleema Khan’s son, Shahrez Khan, the detention orders expired on October 19, but the three women remained confined at Kot Lakhpat Jail.
The petition seeks their recovery and release, arguing that their continued detention after the expiry of the orders is unlawful.
Court Questions Absence of Deputy Commissioner
During Thursday’s hearing, Justice Abher Gul Khan asked the petitioner’s counsel, Rana Mudassar Umar, why the Lahore deputy commissioner had not been included as a respondent in the petition.
The counsel explained that the deputy commissioner had not been named because the detention notification issued by the official had already expired.
Uzma Khan’s husband, Ahed Khan, subsequently approached the rostrum and requested that the court summon the deputy commissioner as well.
Justice Abher Gul observed that the deputy commissioner had not even been named as a respondent and directed the petitioner’s counsel to satisfy Ahed on the matter.
The court also summoned the Punjab home secretary and the Kot Lakhpat Jail superintendent to provide an explanation for the women’s continued detention.
LHC declines immediate suspension of detention orders against Imran Khan’s sisters
Fresh Petition Seeks Immediate Release
Shahrez Khan filed a fresh petition in the Lahore High Court on Wednesday through Advocate Rana Mudassar Umar, seeking the production and release of his mother and her two sisters.
The petition named the Punjab home secretary, the inspector general of police, the capital city police officer and the superintendent of Kot Lakhpat Jail as respondents.
It stated that the sisters’ 30-day detention orders, issued on September 20, had expired on October 19, yet they remained in custody despite requests for their release.
The petitioner argued that the continued detention violated the law and the women’s fundamental rights. He also maintained that they were not wanted in any criminal case and expressed concern that they could be implicated in what he described as false cases if they were not released.
These claims form part of the petition and have not been established as judicial findings.
Petition Challenges Detention Under MPO Ordinance
The petition further alleged that the detentions were linked to the sisters’ efforts to secure their brother’s release and argued that preventive detention could not be used as a substitute for proceedings under ordinary criminal law.
It challenged the detention orders under Article 10 of the Constitution and Section 3 of the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960.
The petitioner asked the court to declare the detention orders void, direct the jail superintendent to produce the three women before the court and order their release.
The case is scheduled for further proceedings on October 28, when the summoned officials are expected to explain the legal basis for the continued detention.
