ISLAMABAD: Political tensions increased following the arrest in Lahore of Aleema Khan, sister of Imran Khan, and reports of the arrest of other members of the family of the former prime minister ahead of a planned countrywide protest by the PTI.

Aleema Khan was also detained for 30 days under Section 3 of the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance. The order refers to concerns about public safety and maintenance of public order.

More family members reportedly detained

The situation quickly worsened as PTI announced that two other of Imran Khan’s sisters, Dr Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi, had also been held for 30 days under the same public order law.

PTI’s central information secretary Sheik Waqas Akram said the sisters and other relatives were taken away in an armored vehicle and shifted to an undisclosed location.

But the authorities have not publicly confirmed all allegations of detention by the party, leaving the whereabouts of some family members unknown.

The reports and social media posts that two children, aged four and six, had disappeared also caused concern.

Kasim Khan son of Imran Khan raised the issue on social media later saying he had got information that the children were safe.

The claim that the children had been arrested was therefore not independently established. Later reports indicated that they were safe.

PTI protest adds to tensions

PTI has connected the recent developments to its planned protest on September 27 which the party says is aimed at demanding the release of Imran Khan and calling for the supremacy of the Constitution.

PTI has also claimed that two other family members, named Azeem and Sakeenah, were detained.

The situation is still fluid and competing claims are coming from political representatives, family members and social media.

The most definitive development so far is the detention of Aleema Khan for 30 days, but the fate of other reported detainees is still to be confirmed.

As the PTI protest looms, the treatment of Imran Khan’s family is likely to remain a major point of political attention.

 
Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)