Imran Khan's sister arrested in Lahore ahead of planned Pakistan protests

Aleema Khanum, the sister of Pakistan's jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, has been arrested in the eastern city of Lahore ahead of planned protests in support of him next week. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the party founded by Imran Khan, said she was detained on Sunday afternoon and described the move as an illegal detention. A police official confirmed the arrest, while Khanum's family said earlier in the day that they had no contact or news of her whereabouts.

Sponsored

The arrest order, issued by Lahore's deputy commissioner, said Khanum had been mobilising supporters through social media and public meetings. It alleged that she was encouraging people to create law and order problems and to chant objectionable slogans against the government. The order said she would be detained for 30 days and taken to Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore.

Khanum's son, Shahrez Khan, called for the government to disclose her whereabouts and ensure her safe return. The detention comes as PTI prepares demonstrations across the country on 27 September, with protesters planning to march towards Islamabad. Streets in the capital are already lined with shipping containers, a sign that authorities are preparing to secure government buildings.

Local media has reported the interior minister as saying the protests harm the country and that the government will do everything it can to stop them. The arrest therefore appears closely tied to the wider effort to contain the planned mobilisation. Imran Khan has been detained since 2023, after being sentenced to three years in prison for not declaring money earned from selling gifts received while in office.

Sponsored

He has since faced charges in more than 100 cases, including allegations ranging from leaking state secrets to selling state gifts, which he says are politically motivated. Last year he received a 14-year sentence in a land corruption case, his longest prison term so far. His health has also reportedly worsened in custody, and he was taken to hospital for an examination last month.

Khanum has become one of the most visible voices speaking for her brother, regularly addressing supporters and the media. Her arrest adds another layer of tension to an already fraught political standoff between PTI and the authorities. It also raises the stakes for the planned protests, which are being framed by supporters as a show of backing for the former prime minister and by the government as a threat to public order.

What remains unclear is whether the detention will be challenged in court or whether further arrests will follow before the 27 September demonstrations. It is also not yet clear how many people will join the planned marches or how forcefully the authorities will respond in Islamabad and other cities. For now, the case underlines the continuing pressure around Imran Khan's detention and the government's efforts to limit street mobilisation in his support.

#Pakistan #AleemaKhanum #ImranKhan #PTI #Lahore

Sponsored