ISLAMABAD: Pakistani police detained former prime minister Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khan in Lahore on Sunday, an official administrative order stated, as her Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party gears up for an anti-government “long march” to Islamabad.

The detention takes place as Khan’s PTI party prepares to march to the capital with hundreds of thousands of supporters to press for his release from prison. Pakistan’s government has repeatedly warned the PTI against protesting violently as it mobilizes supporters for the Sept. 27 protest.

Police detained Aleema under Section 3 of the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance, 1960. The MPO empowers authorities to arrest a person to maintain public order and extend the period of such detention for a period not exceeding six months at a time.

The detention order, issued by Deputy Commissioner Lahore Capt. (Retd.) Muhammad Ali Ijaz, said police and intelligence reports claimed Aleema’s activities were “prejudicial to the public safety and maintenance of public order.”

“I am convinced that the presence of Aleema Khan... at any public place, will pose a grave threat to the public safety and will likely cause breach of public peace and public order,” the deputy commissioner stated in the order.

He directed police to detain her for a period of 30 days at the Kot Lakhpat central jail in Lahore.

Arab News contacted Deputy Inspector General of Operations Lahore Faisal Kamran for version. However, Kamran said he was watching the news on TV channels himself and did not comment further on Aleema’s arrest.

Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry, Khan’s legal counsel, told Arab News Aleema was outside her home in Lahore when she was taken to the Layton Road police station along with her drive.

“While the driver and car are still in police custody, Aleema has been moved to prison,” Chaudhry said.

The PTI condemned the move, calling it an attempt to disrupt the PTI’s mobilization ahead of the protest march.

“She has been arrested under the MPO, illegally and in order to break the momentum of September 27 protest,” Zulfikar Bukhari, a close Khan aide, told Arab News.

“We strongly condemn this. The fear of the 27th protest is clearly taking its toll.”

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan condemned the detention, saying that the party was striving for a democratic resolution to its political grievances.

“In such a situation, arresting Aleema Khan Sahiba or keeping her under house arrest under MPO is tantamount to fueling violence and tension,” he said.

The PTI chairman called for Aleema’s immediate release, saying the party will soon announce its course of action.

MEDICAL CHECK-UP

Separately, Khan underwent a medical check-up inside the central Adiala prison in Rawalpindi where he has been incarcerated since 2023, according to intelligence and prison sources.

The health check comes amid lingering concerns expressed by his family and party leadership about his living conditions and physical well-being inside the high-security facility.

“A medical check of Imran Khan has been carried out inside Adiala,” a prison official told Arab News on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Official details on the outcome of the medical examination were not immediately made public.

The former prime minister has previously received treatment at the state-run PIMS hospital for central retinal vein occlusion in his right eye, a condition that can impair vision.

Aleema’s arrest is likely to increase tensions between the PTI and the government. Khan accuses the government and military of colluding to remove him from power in April 2022 via a parliamentary vote. Both deny the allegation.

He remains one of the most popular leaders of the country and has been kept largely out of public view since his imprisonment and conviction in several legal cases. Khan denies any wrongdoing and says charges against him are politically motivated.