The Police of Pakistan has arrested this Sunday Aleema Khan, sister of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, at her home in Lahore, as confirmed by a spokesperson for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the party of the former head of Government. The arrest comes a week before the national march called by the formation for next September 27.
The Lahore district administration has ordered her detention for 30 days and her transfer to prison. In the notification, the authorities allege that, according to intelligence reports, her presence in public places would pose a threat to public safety.
An arrest a week before the PTI march
The PTI plans to hold a mobilization towards Islamabad on September 27 to demand the release of Imran Khan, who has been imprisoned since 2023. The party maintains its call despite the government's appeals to avoid the protest.
The arrest of Aleema Khan adds to other police actions prior to the mobilization. According to Dawn, four PTI activists were arrested in Islamabad this Sunday in connection with a meeting in which, according to the Police, actions related to the protest were being organized.
The Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, has assured that the Government will take all necessary measures to prevent the march.
The Lahore Administration orders 30 days of detention
The order against Aleema Khan is based on the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, a regulation from the province of Punjab that allows for preventive detentions for reasons related to public order and safety.
According to the documentation published by Dawn, the order mentions police reports attributing to Khan and another detainee participation in protests and roadblocks in May 2023. It also claims that both would be mobilizing supporters again through social media and public meetings.
The PTI, for its part, has denounced the arrest and linked it to the preparation for next Sunday’s march.
Imran Khan has been imprisoned since 2023
Imran Khan, former Prime Minister of Pakistan and founder of the PTI, has been in prison since August 2023 after being convicted in several judicial proceedings. His party maintains that the charges have a political motivation, while the authorities and the courts have upheld the judicial proceedings against the former leader.
The situation of Khan continues to be one of the main focal points of tension between the PTI and the Pakistani authorities, especially in light of the call for new mobilizations.
The detention of his sister occurs, therefore, at a time of increasing pressure surrounding the march of September 27, whose development and response from the authorities will be one of the next focal points of Pakistani politics.