LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday summoned the Punjab home secretary and the superintendent of Kot Lakhpat Jail to appear in person on October 28 in a case seeking the release of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s three sisters.
Aleema Khan, Noreen Niazi and Dr Uzma Khan have remained in custody since last month under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance in connection with the PTI’s anti-government protest.
Authorities detained Noreen and Uzma for 30 days on September 21, shortly before the party’s planned September 27 protest. The party later moved the protest to October 4. Aleema’s detention began a day earlier, on September 20.
Court Questions Detention Orders
During Thursday’s hearing, the petitioner’s counsel told the court that the detention orders for all three sisters had expired on October 19 and 20.
Justice Abher Gul Khan asked why the petition did not name the Lahore deputy commissioner as a respondent.
The counsel explained that the petition excluded the deputy commissioner because the detention notification issued by the official had expired.
However, Ahed Khan, Uzma Khan’s husband, asked the court to summon the deputy commissioner as well.
Justice Abher Gul Khan responded that the court could not summon the official because the petition had not named him as a party to the case.
Fresh Petition Challenges Continued Detention
Aleema Khan’s son, Shahrez Khan, filed a fresh petition in the LHC a day earlier, challenging the detention of Imran Khan’s sisters.
The petition stated that the three women remained at Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail despite the expiry of their 30-day detention period.
The court has summoned the Punjab home secretary and the jail superintendent for the next hearing on October 28.
