PTI says Aleema detained by authorities as Lahore DC orders arrest under MPO
The PTI said on Sunday that ex-prime minister and party founder Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, had been detained by authorities, after the office of Lahore’s deputy commissioner (DC) ordered her detention or arrest for 30 days. The development takes place amid reports of a crackdown on the PTI ahead of its September 27 countrywide protest and march to Islamabad, which the party has called to demand Imran’s release from jail and mobilise people for the supremacy of the Constitution. The September 20 order, a copy of which is available with Dawn , said DC Muhammad Ali Ijaz had ordered the detention or arrest of Aleema and a man named Muhammad Ameer under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960 (MPO). The MPO ordinance allows the authorities to order detention and restrict judicial review of such orders. “Their custody shall be placed under the superintendent, Central Jail, Kot Lakhpat, Lahore. They shall be at liberty to make a representation to the provincial government against this order,” the document read. The DC’s order cited a letter by the Lahore capital city police officer. It said the letter referred to police reports that said Aleema and Ameer “are prejudicial to the public safety and maintenance of public order”. The reports also mentioned that the two had been involved in roadblocks and protests on May 9, 2023, when PTI supporters and workers took to the streets against Imran’s arrest. “They motivated the workers to damage public and government property. Moreover, they are again mobilising the workers through social media and public meetings to create law and order situation, raising/chanting objectionable slogans amongst the general public against the government/institution in order to provoke and incite them,” the order read. It said multiple cases had been registered against the two, declaring them “potential dangers to public peace and tranquillity”. According to the order, the Civil Lines Division superintendent of police and district intelligence branch in-charge recommended their detention under the MPO for a 30-day period “in order to keep the law and order situation in the city intact”. Dawn has reached out to police for a comment but there has been no immediate response. Meanwhile, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan posted on X that he had been informed about Aleema’s “arrest” by her sister, Noreen Niazi. In his post, Gohar said, “We have clarified that our protest will be peaceful. Our objective is to peacefully struggle for the fulfilment of our constitutional and political demands; we don’t want any kind of clash or violence. “Arresting Aleema Khan sahiba under the MPO in this situation is tantamount to fuelling violence and tension. We strongly condemn it.” He called for an end to all such actions and demanded Aleema’s immediate release. The party would soon present its strategy against such actions, he said. Earlier, the PTI posted on X that Aleema had been “abducted” in Lahore from outside her home by the authorities. In another statement, the party termed the action a “cowardly and deliberate attempt to worsen the situation”. PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram also demanded in a post on X that Aleema be presented in court immediately. “A sister is being punished for speaking up for her brother,” Akram alleged. Aleema’s son Shahrez Khan, in a post on X, said his mother “was abducted after leaving home this morning”. “Our family has had no contact or news of her whereabouts,” he wrote, clarifying that Aleema was on bail in all cases against her in Lahore. “We demand the government immediately disclose her whereabouts and ensure her safe return,” Shahrez wrote. Meanwhile, opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-Ayin-i-Pakistan (TTAP) condemned the arrest in a statement. The statement said the move was tantamount to crossing all limits of “state oppression and political revenge. “The TTAP strongly condemns this step by the government, especially the Punjab government. This action exposes the Punjab government’s current oppressive system,” it added. The opposition alliance said Aleema’s arrest would not be tolerated and demanded her immediate release. “The Punjab government must realise that oppression, arrests and revengeful acts cannot resolve political differences,” the TTAP said, reiterating its demand for Aleema’s release, as well as that of other “political prisoners”. Detentions ahead of protest Aleema’s arrest follows a string of reported actions against the PTI in Punjab ahead of its September 27 protest. District authorities had also issued preventive detention orders against dozens of PTI workers under MPO a week ago, including 31 in one Punjab notification and a further 14 in Toba Tek Singh. Similar reports have come from Islamabad, where the PTI plans to march on the protest day. However, the government has vowed to stop the march, and the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ruled that no political party or its leadership has the “lawful right to occupy public roads, highways, interchanges, toll plazas and buildings in Islamabad”. On Saturday, the capital police took into custody four PTI activists and workers. A police officer told Dawn the activists were arrested under separate charges on a complaint lodged by a sub-inspector. The police got information that the PTI workers were holding a meeting in connection with the planned protest at a property dealer’s office in the area of E-16. Subsequently, a police team was constituted for the raid and arrests. The police claimed that the workers tortured the police team when they raided the meeting venue, besides tearing their uniforms and taking them hostage. On Thursday, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said he was “released” after being briefly detained, with the party claiming he was held by Islamabad police. Officers in the police and capital administration also said they have started preparations to counter the PTI’s countrywide protest. Authorities have placed hundreds of containers at the city’s entry points as the administration braces for protests.
The PTI said on Sunday that ex-prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, had been detained by authorities while an order issued by the office of Lahore’s deputy commissioner confirmed that he had ordered their detention or arrest for a period of 30 days.
The Sept 20 order, a copy of which is available with Dawn , said Deputy Commissioner (DC) Muhammad Ali Ijaz had ordered their detention or arrest under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960 (MPO).
The MPO allows the authorities to order detention and restrict judicial review of such orders.
The DC also directed the arrest of a Muhammad Ameer in his order, adding, “Their custody shall be placed under the superintendent, Central Jail, Kot Lakhpat, Lahore. They shall be at liberty to make a representation to the provincial government against this order.”
In his order, the DC cited a letter by the Lahore capital city police officer. The order stated that the letter referred to police reports that said Aleema and Ameer “are prejudicial to the public safety and maintenance of public order”.
The reports also mentioned that the two had been involved in roadblocks and protests on May 9, 2023, when PTI supporters and workers took to the streets against Imran’s arrest.
“They motivated the workers to damage public and government property. Moreover, they are again mobilising the workers through social media and public meetings to create law and order situation, raising/chanting objectionable slogans amongst the general public against the government/institution in order to provoke and incite them,” the order read.
It said multiple cases had been registered against the two. declaring them “potential dangers to public peace and tranquility”.
According to the order, the Civil Lines Division superintendent of police and district intelligence branch in-charge recommended their detention under the MPO for a 30-day period “in order to keep the law and order situation in the city intact”.
Dawn has reached out to police for a comment but there has been no immediate response.
Meanwhile, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan posted on X that he had been informed about Aleema’s “arrest” by her sister, Noreen Niazi.
The development takes place amid reports of a crackdown on the PTI ahead of its Sept 27 protest, which the party has called to demand Imran’s release from jail and mobilise people for the supremacy of the Constitution.
In his post, Gohar said, “We have clarified that our protest will be peaceful. Our objective is to peacefully struggle for the fulfilment of our constitutional and political demands; we don’t want any kind of clash or violence.
“Arresting Aleema Khan sahiba under the MPO in this situation is tantamount to fuelling violence and tension. We strongly condemn it.”
He called for an end to all such actions and demanded Aleema’s immediate release.
The party would soon present its strategy against such actions, he said.
Earlier, the PTI posted on X that Aleema had been “abducted” in Lahore from outside her home by the authorities.
PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram also demanded in a post on X that Aleema be presented in court immediately.
“A sister is being punished for speaking up for her brother,” Akram alleged.
In a statement, the PTI termed Aleema’s “arrest” a “cowardly and deliberate attempt to worsen the situation”.
Meanwhile, opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahaffuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) also condemned the arrest in a statement.
The statement said the move was tantamount crossing all limits of “state oppression and political revenge.
“The TTAP strong condemns this step by the government, especially the Punjab government. This action exposes the Punjab government’s current oppressive system,” it added.
The opposition alliance said Aleema’s arrest would not be tolerated and demanded her immediate release.
“The Punjab government must realise that oppression, arrests and revengeful acts cannot resolve political differences,” the TTAP said, reiterating its demand for Aleema’s release, as well as that of other “political prisoners”.
Aleema’s arrest follow a string of reported actions against the PTI in Punjab ahead of its Sept 27 protest.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi alleged during his visit to Punjab last week that he had “ abducted ” by authorities in Lahore and later “thrown” by the roadside. He also claimed a man had been sent to kill him.
The Punjab government had swiftly refuted the claims of arrest, while the Wazirabad police clarified that the man accused by Afridi was a police constable deployed on security duty for the CM.
Earlier, district authorities had also issued preventive detention orders against dozens of PTI workers under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order, including 31 in one Punjab notification and a further 14 in Toba Tek Singh.
Similar reports have come from Islamabad, to where the PTI plans to march on Sept 27. But, the government has vowed to stop the march and the Islamabad High Court has ruled that no political party or its leadership has the “lawful right to occupy public roads, highways, interchanges, toll plazas and buildings in Islamabad”.
On Saturday, the capital police took into custody four PTI activists and workers.
A police officer told Dawn the activists were arrested under separate charges in response to a complaint lodged by a sub-inspector.
The police got information that the PTI workers were holding a meeting in connection with the Sep 27 protest at a property dealer’s office in the area of E-16. A police team was constituted for the raid and the arrest.
The police claimed that the workers tortured the police team when they raided the meeting venue, besides, tearing their uniform and taking them hostage. Officers in the police and capital administration said that they have started preparations to counter the PTI’s countrywide protest.
Last week, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said he was “released” after being briefly detained, with the PTI claiming he was held by Islamabad police.
Authorities have also placed hundreds of containers at the city’s entry points as the administration braces for protests.