Web Desk: Aleema Khan, the sister of jailed former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan, has reportedly been taken into custody by police in Lahore, according to media reports and sources cited in the reports.
The reports said police detained Khan from her residence in the Upper Mall area of Lahore. Her reported arrest comes days before PTI supporters are due to participate in a nationwide protest and planned march toward Islamabad on Sept. 27.
The development has also triggered fresh discussion on social media over whether Khan had been detained ahead of the planned protest.
According to the reports, the detention followed a request from police and an order issued by Lahore’s deputy commissioner under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order, or MPO.
Police reportedly argued that Khan’s detention was necessary as a preventive measure because of concerns over a possible threat to public order.
After her detention, she was taken to Lytton police station, the reports said. Authorities were expected to decide whether she would subsequently be transferred to Kot Lakhpat Jail or another detention facility under directions from the district administration.
The duration and legal basis of any continued detention would depend on the applicable MPO order and any subsequent action by authorities.
The reported detention comes as PTI prepares for its Sept. 27 demonstration and march to Islamabad.
The party has said the protest is intended to press for the release of Imran Khan and to raise demands related to constitutional and democratic rights. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has described the planned demonstration as a peaceful march.
Meanwhile, authorities in Islamabad and Rawalpindi have stepped up preparations ahead of the planned protest. Police have detained several PTI activists, while officials have been making security arrangements and gathering information about preparations for the demonstration.
The government has also warned that it will prevent protesters from entering Islamabad if they attempt to violate restrictions or court orders.
Separately, Imran Khan underwent a medical examination at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, according to the information provided in the reports.
A special medical team from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, or PIMS, reportedly visited the prison for the examination. The team was headed by Dr Arif Khan and included an eye specialist and other medical professionals, along with paramedical staff and equipment required for the assessment.
The medical team later left the jail, according to prison sources cited in the reports.
With the Sept. 27 protest approaching, the reported detention of Aleema Khan adds another development to an already tense political environment surrounding PTI’s planned mobilisation.
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