LHC directs Noreen Niazi’s counsel to file separate plea for medical treatment, family meetings

On Friday, the Lahore High Court ordered Noreen Niazi's counsel to file a separate application requesting medical treatment and family visits for the sisters of former Prime Minister and PTI founder Imran Khan. Noreen was recently transferred to the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) due to deteriorating health, following recommendation from doctors at Kot Lakhpat Jail.

The court's direction came during the hearing of a petition filed by Sakeena Niazi, challenging the preventive detention of her sisters. The judge asked if an application had been filed for medical treatment and family meetings; the petitioner's lawyer confirmed that one had been submitted to the deputy commissioner. The judge then instructed the counsel to file a separate civil miscellaneous application with the court.

Counsel argued that there was no legal basis for extending the detention of the women, highlighting that Noreen had no prior history of heart issues. They questioned the reasons for her hospitalization and the pressure exerted on her during detention. PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja mentioned that Noreen was ill and had been admitted to the PIC's intensive care unit, though he was unsure if she remained hospitalized or had been returned to jail.

Neither her family nor her lawyer had been granted access to her. The home secretary, who was abroad, was asked about his return, and another pending petition challenging the detention of Imran Khan's mother, Aleema Khan, awaited a hearing. The sisters were arrested in September under Section 3 of the MPO as the PTI prepared for a protest march to Islamabad. Their detention, initially set for 30 days, was extended on October 7, with no suspension granted.