Pakistan Detains Imran Khan Family Ahead of Planned Protests
Authorities in Pakistan have placed former PM Imran Khan's sisters under administrative detention as the PTI prepares a major march for September 27.
Key points
- Imran Khan's sisters and PTI activists were detained under administrative orders ahead of a planned protest.
- Amnesty International calls the arrests a flagrant violation of rights to liberty and peaceful assembly.
- Pakistan's Interior Minister vowed to stop the September 27 march in every possible way.
Pakistani authorities have placed members of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s family under administrative detention in the lead-up to a nationwide protest scheduled for September 27. The move, reported by Amnesty International, involves the detention of Khan’s sisters and several party activists, raising concerns about the scope of restrictions on political dissent in the country.
According to the organization, these pre-emptive arrests are part of a broader effort to prevent the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from executing its planned march towards Islamabad. Government officials have openly vowed to stop the demonstration, citing public order concerns and legal rulings that prohibit political parties from occupying public roads.
Family members placed under administrative detention
On September 20, Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khan was placed under administrative detention for 30 days in Lahore under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance. Shortly after, her sisters Noreen Niazi and Uzma Khan, along with three of Khan’s nieces and nephews, were taken into custody. While some relatives were released, Noreen and Uzma remain in detention, and other PTI members of parliament have also been briefly detained during the same period.
Amnesty International cites severe human rights violations
Babu Ram Pant, Deputy Regional Director for South Asia at Amnesty International, described the targeting of Khan’s relatives and party workers as a flagrant violation of their rights to liberty and peaceful assembly. According to the report, the organization argues that such actions reflect the severity of current restrictions in Pakistan and urge the government to immediately release those detained solely for their political affiliations.
The advocacy group warned that labeling a protest as violent before it has even begun is inconsistent with international human rights law. They emphasized that authorities must facilitate peaceful assembly and refrain from using unlawful measures to thwart the demonstration, noting a history of reckless use of force against protesters in the region.
Government vows to block the September march
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has stated that no group will be allowed to enter Islamabad on September 27, promising to stop the march in every possible way. The Islamabad High Court has also ruled that political parties do not have the right to occupy public highways or government buildings, a decision that PTI views as an attempt to suppress their right to demonstrate for Imran Khan’s release and healthcare access.
