Behind the towering gates of Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail, the legal battle surrounding the family of the jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder took a fresh turn as authorities secured another month of detention. According to Geo News, the Lahore High Court was informed on Monday that the Punjab government has extended the confinement of Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan, and Noreen Niazi by an additional 30 days.
According to Geo News, a government lawyer submitted a report prepared by the Punjab home secretary during the proceedings. The petitioner's counsel had previously stated that the initial detention orders for the three sisters had expired on October 19 and 20. However, the government lawyer informed the court that the deputy commissioner had recommended a further extension, which was subsequently approved and enacted following a proposal sent to the provincial government.
During the hearing, according to Geo News, the Punjab home secretary and the superintendent of Kot Lakhpat jail appeared in person in compliance with previous court directives. The petitioner's counsel requested the court to order the recovery and presentation of Aleema, Uzma, and Noreen. The court observed that while the detention notification was issued by the deputy commissioner, the petitioner had not made that official a party to the case. The Lahore High Court ultimately disposed of the petition filed by Aleema's son, Shahrez Khan.
Background
According to Geo News, Aleema Khan was initially detained under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order, 1960 (MPO), on September 20 in Lahore and transferred to Kot Lakhpat jail. Her sisters, Noreen Niazi and Uzma Khan, were detained under the same legal provision a day later on police recommendation. Geo News reported that these detentions occurred ahead of a nationwide protest and a planned long march on Islamabad called by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf for September 27 to demand the release of the former prime minister and the supremacy of the Constitution. Shahrez Khan subsequently challenged the detentions by filing a petition in the Lahore High Court on October 20.
Why it matters
For ordinary citizens and legal observers in Pakistan, the proceedings highlight the intersection of public order regulations, executive authority, and constitutional petitions within the judicial system. The case underscores the legal mechanisms surrounding preventive detentions and the oversight role of the high court when detention orders are challenged by family members.