After Aleema Khan was detained on Sunday, her sisters Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi were also arrested in Lahore on Monday and sent to jail.
According to a September 20 order issued by Lahore Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali Ijaz, Aleema Khan and her driver Muhammad Ameer were ordered to be detained for 30 days under Section 3 of the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960.
The administration cited concerns related to public order and public safety. The order said police and intelligence officials had reported that the activities of Noreen Niazi were considered harmful to public safety and public order.
The Lahore administration also alleged that the women had been involved in the May 9 protests and road blockades and had encouraged workers to damage public and government property. These are allegations contained in the detention order.
Aleema Khan’s detention was reported on Sunday, while Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi were arrested on Monday.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan also told Independent Urdu that the party and families of detained lawmakers had informed him that Senator Saifullah Niazi and MNA Sanaullah Khan Mastikhel had been detained from Parliament Lodges and shifted to an undisclosed location.
The reported detentions come as PTI prepares for its September 27 protest, which the party has linked to demands including the release of Imran Khan and the supremacy of the Constitution.
KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi criticised the detention of Imran Khan’s family members, saying mothers, sisters and daughters should be respected and questioning the direction the country would take if members of political leaders’ families were detained.
The government, however, has said it will enforce the law during the planned protest. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Monday again warned PTI against proceeding with the September 27 march and said the government would ensure implementation of the Islamabad High Court’s directions.
The Islamabad High Court has ruled that political parties and leaders cannot occupy roads, highways, interchanges, toll plazas or buildings in a manner that obstructs public movement or access to essential services. The court also directed provincial governments to ensure that official resources are not used to facilitate political marches.
Security tightened in Islamabad and Rawalpindi
Security arrangements have also been intensified in Islamabad and Rawalpindi ahead of the September 27 protest.
Containers have been placed at routes leading towards Islamabad’s Red Zone, while additional police and law enforcement personnel are being deployed at key locations. The government has said roads and public routes will not be allowed to remain blocked during protests.
State Minister for Interior Tallal Chaudhry has warned that action would be taken against unlawful activities, while Information Minister Atta Tarar has also stressed the need to maintain law and order in the capital. Dawn reported that hundreds of containers have been placed at entry points of Islamabad as authorities prepare for the PTI protest.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has also warned that protests and sit-ins could cause an estimated daily economic loss of around Rs120 billion, citing research findings.
Jamaat-e-Islami march towards Islamabad
Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami has also launched its march towards Islamabad from Karachi. The party says participants will travel through different cities before reaching the federal capital to protest against the petroleum levy, inflation, electricity bills and other public issues.
The JI leadership has demanded relief for the public and implementation of its demands. The government has held talks with the party over its march, while security arrangements in Islamabad have also been reviewed.
The simultaneous political activities come as PTI prepares for its September 27 protest. Islamabad authorities are therefore facing security and traffic challenges linked to multiple planned political demonstrations.
