Pakistan’s Lahore High Court on Thursday refused an urgent request to suspend the preventive detention of two sisters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan, opting instead to demand formal responses from government officials before deciding the challenge.
The decision keeps Dr. Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi in custody for now under a 30-day order issued earlier this week.
Their detention, along with that of a third sister, forms part of a broader crackdown ahead of a planned nationwide protest by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party set for September 27.
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Court Hearing and Immediate Ruling
Justice Abher Gul Khan heard petitions filed on behalf of Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi. Lawyers Rana Mudassar Umar and Barrister Taimur represented the women.
During the session, Umar asked the court to suspend the detention notifications right away so he could present additional facts.
“Both women are housewives, and Dr. Uzma has already been found innocent in the case registered against her,” Umar told the bench, according to accounts of the proceedings. He noted that a copy of the trial court’s decision clearing Uzma had been attached to the petition.
The arrest of Imran Khan and his sisters is condemnable they have no affiliation with any active political organization. The regime arrested them against the backdrop of the movement launched on September 27th to oppose the administration’s oppressive and unconstitutional… https://t.co/Q1Cs5B3cwJ
— Muhammed Faisal (@Intl_Mediatior) September 22, 2026
The judge declined the interim request. “Let us seek reports from the relevant parties,” Justice Khan said, directing authorities to file replies.
The court then issued notices to the Lahore deputy commissioner, the capital city police officer, the secretary of the Punjab Home Department, and the superintendent of Kot Lakhpat jail, where the sisters are being held.
Noreen Niazi’s daughter, Sakina, and others joined the legal challenge through the same counsel, seeking to annul the deputy commissioner’s detention orders entirely.
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Background of the Detentions
Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi were taken into custody for 30 days under Section 3 of the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance 1960, commonly known as the MPO. The order came a day after their sister Aleema Khan was detained under the same law and shifted to Kot Lakhpat jail.
Authorities timed the moves ahead of PTI’s announced countrywide protest and planned march toward the capital, Islamabad.
The Lahore deputy commissioner’s orders cited police reports claiming the women’s activities were “prejudicial to the public safety and maintenance of public order.” The documents linked them to the May 9, 2023, protests and associated road blockades, and stated that multiple cases had been registered against them.
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On September 21, Aleema Khan’s son, Shahraiz Khan, filed a petition in the same high court challenging the detention orders against his mother and her two sisters. That filing argued the orders were unlawful and failed to show any specific conduct that justified preventive detention. In a related hearing a day later, Justice Gul sought further arguments on whether a separate petition challenging the detention of Aleema Khan and her driver, Muhammad Ameer, was maintainable. Counsel in that case pointed to the timing of a District Intelligence Committee meeting and the subsequent issuance of the detention notification, suggesting the process may have begun after the individuals were already in custody.
Wider Political Context
Imran Khan, the PTI founder and former cricket star turned politician, remains imprisoned. His party has framed the September 27 events as a push for his release and for constitutional supremacy. Pakistani authorities have described the preventive detentions as necessary steps to preserve public order in the lead-up to the demonstrations.
The MPO allows provincial officials to detain individuals for limited periods when they believe there is a risk to public safety.
Imran Khan, his wife, all 3 of his sisters, his sister’s children, the entire family is behind bars at the moment. 🚨
In the dead of night, homes were reportedly raided & vandalized & family members, including children were taken away.
Imran Khan’s life is in grave DANGER. pic.twitter.com/aitrp0ycO2
— Haider Ali (@Haider4PTI) September 20, 2026
Such orders have frequently been used in Pakistan during periods of political tension and have drawn criticism from opposition parties and rights advocates for limiting judicial oversight.
As of Thursday evening, the sisters remain in Kot Lakhpat jail while the Lahore High Court awaits official responses. Further hearings are expected once those replies are submitted. The outcome could influence the atmosphere surrounding PTI’s planned September 27 mobilization.
Asim Tanveer is a seasoned journalist working for TV and electronic and print media outlets. He has been working for some of the world’s leading news organizations including Associated Press (AP), Reuters, BBC, CNN, CNBC, Star TV, Voice of America and The New York Times for more than 20 years. He has won several awards for his live coverage of events that include a Reuters News Agency World Award and the Pride of Performance award in 2010.
