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The sister of imprisoned former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has been arrested ahead of nationwide protests planned in his support, his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party said, according to the BBC.
Aleema Khanum was detained in the eastern city of Lahore on Sunday afternoon. PTI officials described the arrest as illegal, while her son called for her immediate release.
The arrest order, issued by Lahore’s deputy commissioner, alleged that Khanum had been mobilising Imran Khan’s supporters through social media and public meetings. It said she would be detained for 30 days.
Arrest linked to planned protests
A police official confirmed Khanum’s arrest. The order said she would be taken to Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore.
Khanum has been a vocal critic of her brother’s detention and has regularly addressed his supporters and the media. Her family said earlier on Sunday that they had no information about her whereabouts.
“We demand the government immediately disclose her whereabouts and ensure her safe return,” her son, Shahrez Khan, wrote on “X”.
Her arrest has been linked to protests planned across Pakistan on 27 September. Demonstrators are expected to march towards the capital, Islamabad.
The arrest order accused Khanum of mobilising people to “create law and order situations” and of raising or chanting objectionable slogans against the government.
Security measures have already been stepped up in Islamabad, where streets have been lined with shipping containers to protect government buildings. Local media reported that Pakistan’s interior minister had described the protests as harmful to the country and said the government would take steps to stop them.
Imran Khan’s legal cases
Imran Khan has been detained since 2023, when he was sentenced to three years in prison for failing to declare money from the sale of gifts received while he was in office.
The former cricket star has faced charges in more than 100 cases, including allegations involving state secrets and the sale of state gifts. Khan has rejected the cases as politically motivated.
Last year, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison in a land corruption case, the longest sentence he has received.
His health has reportedly deteriorated while in prison, and he visited a hospital for an examination last month.
