According to The Express Tribune, the Lahore High Court has summoned the Punjab home secretary and the superintendent of Kot Lakhpat Jail over the continued detention of PTI founder Imran Khan's sisters, Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi. Justice Abher Gul Khan adjourned the case until October 28 and directed both officials to appear and explain why the women are still in custody after their detention period ended.
Why they were detained
The sisters were detained in September under Section 3 of the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance, 1960, ahead of PTI's planned September 27 march on Islamabad. Aleema was held on September 20 and Uzma and Noreen a day later. The Lahore deputy commissioner's 30-day orders cited police reports alleging their activities threatened public order.
The petition
A petition filed by Aleema's son, Shahrez Khan, through Advocate Rana Mudassar Umar, says the orders expired on October 19 but the sisters were not released despite requests. It argues they are not wanted in any criminal case, that their detention violates the law and their fundamental rights, and that preventive detention cannot replace ordinary criminal law. It also fears they could be implicated in false cases if not freed.
In court
The judge asked why the Lahore deputy commissioner had not been named as a respondent; counsel said the official's notification had already expired. Uzma's husband, Ahed Khan, asked the court to summon the deputy commissioner too, and the judge told counsel to address his concern.
On September 25, the court had declined to suspend the detention notifications against Uzma and Noreen and sought responses from the authorities.