Aleema detained under MPO in Lahore ahead of PTI's Sept 27 protest

On September 27, PTI spokesperson Noreen Niazi announced that Imran Khan's sister, Aleema Khan, had been detained by authorities in Lahore. The Lahore Deputy Commissioner had ordered her detention or arrest for 30 days under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960 (MPO). According to the order, Aleema and a man named Muhammad Ameer were deemed "prejudicial to the public safety and maintenance of public order" due to their involvement in roadblocks and protests on May 9, 2023, where PTI supporters and workers had taken to the streets against Imran's arrest.

The MPO ordinance allows authorities to order detention and restrict judicial review of such orders. Aleema was reportedly taken to Kot Lakhpat Jail, where she was put under the custody of the superintendent. Her sister Noreen addressed a press conference, stating that Aleema and her driver were picked up after leaving their residence on Saturday and that they learned of her arrest later.

Noreen called on PTI supporters not to be afraid despite the alleged crackdown, urging them to come out for their country and Imran Khan. The PTI condemned the arrest, calling it a "cowardly and deliberate attempt to worsen the situation" and demanding Aleema's immediate release. Opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-Ayin-i-Pakistan (TTAP) also condemned the arrest, calling it an act of "state oppression and political revenge" and demanding Aleema's release along with other political prisoners.