Imran Khan's two sisters released after 50 days in detention - The Express Tribune
Sisters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, Noreen Niazi and Dr Uzma Khan were released from jail on Thursday following the withdrawal of their detention orders under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) law, PTI lawyer Taimur Malik said.
Aleema Khan remained incarcerated at Kot Lakhpa, Jail Superintendent Chaudhry Ijaz Asghar confirmed to The Express Tribune.
In a post on X, Malik said the detention orders were unlawful and called for the release of all other individuals detained under similar orders.
He said those still in detention should be released "without waiting for the next hearing" of the petitions, arguing that the "deputy commissioner had no justification" for issuing the MPO orders and would be unable to defend them before the court.
Dr Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi have been released upon withdrawal of their unlawful MPO detention order. Everyone else detained under these MPO orders should be released as well. https://t.co/azyaDjx39K
Malik added that several others detained around the same time had already been released.
Meanwhile, Noreen's legal counsel, Rana Mudassar Umer, confirmed in a post on X that both sisters "had been released" and had "arrived home safely."
He said "petitions seeking an early hearing of the constitutional petitions" challenging the "unlawful detention of Alia Khan, Dr Uzma and Noreen had yet to be scheduled for hearing."
علیمہ خان صاحبہ، ڈاکٹر عظمٰی خان صاحبہ اور نورین نیازی صاحبہ کی غیر قانونی نظر بندی کے خلاف آئینی پٹیشنز کی جلد سماعت کیلئے درخواستیں تا حال سماعت کیلئے مقرر نہیں ہو سکیں۔ 10 تاریخ کو عدالت کے رخصت پر ہونے کی وجہ سے سماعت نہ ہوئی اور نہ ہی آئندہ تاریخ مقرر ہوئی۔ https://t.co/VXPE1paLpd
According to Umer, the hearing scheduled for November 10 did not take place because the court was on leave, and no new date had been fixed.
Separately, Noreen’s son, Wali, questioned the detention and release of his mother and aunt, Dr Uzma, saying they had spent 53 days in Kot Lakhpat Jail without being charged or tried.
In a post on X, Wali said both women had been released without any explanation. He said that his mother, who was in her seventies, had been taken to a cardiac hospital two weeks earlier without the family being informed.
Wali demanded the release of Aleema, Imran and others held under the MPO law. He also called for action against officials responsible for the detentions.
"Charge them or release them," he wrote.
Day 53. My mother @DrUzma_KhanPK and my aunt @Noreen_KhanPK walked out of Kot Lakhpat prison today. For 53 days they were held under Section 3 of the MPO. No charge. No trial. Two weeks ago @Noreen_KhanPK, in her seventies, was taken to a cardiac hospital. No one told us. Today…
On October 28, Noreen was admitted to Lahore's Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) following a deterioration in her health while in custody, according to her legal counsel.
“Noreen has been transferred to Punjab Institute of Cardiology due to deteriorating health in jail,” her legal counsel, Rana Mudassar Umer, said on X.
نورین نیازی صاحبہ کی جیل میں طبعیت خراب ہونے پر پنجاب کارڈیالوجی منتقل کیا گیا ہے۔ ان کی صحت کیلئے دعاؤں کی درخواست ہے۔ 70 سالہ نورین نیازی غیر قانونی نظر بند ہیں اور ان کی ہسپتال منتقلی پر کسی خاندان کے شخص کو اطلاع نہیں دی گئی۔ pic.twitter.com/IRXs29TcWV
On October 26, the Lahore High Court (LHC) disposed of a petition for the release of Imran’s three sisters after the Punjab government confirmed that their detention had been extended by another 30 days.
On October 22, the LHC summoned the Punjab home secretary and the superintendent of Kot Lakhpat Jail over the continued detention of Imran’s sisters despite the expiry of their 30-day detention orders.
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.
The three sisters were detained in September under Section 3 of the Punjab MPO Ordinance, 1960, as the PTI prepared for a planned protest march towards Islamabad. Aleema was detained on September 20, while Uzma and Noreen were taken into custody on September 21. Their initial detention orders were issued for 30 days. The orders were later extended for another 30 days.
The Lahore deputy commissioner issued the 30-day detention orders. The orders cited police reports alleging that the women’s activities posed a threat to public safety and the maintenance of public order.
The sisters subsequently challenged their detention in the LHC, seeking the annulment of the orders and their immediate release.
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