LHC disposes of petition seeking release of Imran's sisters after govt extends detention
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday disposed of a petition seeking the release of PTI founder Imran Khan’s three sisters after the Punjab government informed the court that their preventive detention had been extended for another 30 days. An assistant advocate general of Punjab told Justice Abher Gul Khan that the government had approved a further 30-day detention of Aleema Khan, Dr…
The Lahore High Court dismissed a petition on Monday seeking the release of Imran Khan’s three sisters after the Punjab government announced their detention would be extended by another 30 days. Punjab’s assistant advocate general informed Justice Abher Gul Khan that the government, based on the deputy commissioner’s recommendation, had approved the additional 30-day imprisonment for Aleema Khan, Dr Uzma Khan, and Noreen Niazi.
The law officer also submitted a report from the home secretary, stating that the detention period had been extended on October 7. Imran Khan’s sisters were arrested in September under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960, as the party prepared for a planned protest march to Islamabad. Their initial 30-day detention had already expired, but the government has now extended their detention.
The petitioner’s lawyer, Rana Mudassar Umar, asked the court to order the sisters’ recovery and bring them before the court. However, Justice Khan noted that the deputy commissioner had issued the detention notifications, and the petitioner had not included the official as a respondent in the petition. The judge acknowledged that the 26th and 27th constitutional amendments might affect the case.
The judge determined that the court could not issue an order beyond the petition’s scope, based on the home secretary’s report. Uzma’s husband, Ahad Khan, attended the hearing. Aleema’s son, Shahrez, filed the petition, arguing that the women had been held at Kot Lakhpat jail after their initial 30-day detention expired on October 19.
Aleema was arrested on September 20, while her sisters were detained a day later. The petitioner contended that the continuous detention beyond the notified period was unlawful, that the sisters were not involved in any criminal case, and that preventive detention could not serve as a substitute for ordinary criminal law. The court ordered the sisters’ immediate release and production before the court.
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