LHC disposes of plea as Punjab extends Imran sisters' detention

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday disposed of a petition seeking the release of three sisters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan after the Punjab government told the court their preventive detention had been extended by another 30 days.

Aleema Khan, Dr Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi will remain held under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order, 1960, according to a report by the Punjab home secretary that an assistant advocate general of the province submitted to Justice Abher Gul Khan. Dawn reported that the law officer told the court the government had approved the 30-day extension on the recommendation of the Lahore deputy commissioner.

Aleema was detained in Lahore on September 20 and shifted to Kot Lakhpat jail. Her sisters were taken into custody a day later, on police recommendation. The detentions came shortly before a PTI nationwide protest that included a planned long march on Islamabad on September 27, demanding Imran Khan's release and the supremacy of the Constitution.

Aleema's son, Shahrez Khan, filed the petition on October 20, challenging the detention of all three women.

At Monday's hearing, the petitioner's counsel said the detention orders had expired on October 19 and 20, and asked the court to order that the three be recovered and produced before it. The government lawyer said the deputy commissioner had sent a proposal recommending a further extension, which the provincial government approved. He told the court the extension was ordered on October 7.

The court observed that the detention notification had been issued by the deputy commissioner, but that the petitioner had not made that official a party to the case.

The Punjab home secretary and the superintendent of Kot Lakhpat jail appeared in person, in line with an order passed at the previous hearing. Geo News reported that the court disposed of the petition after reviewing the report the home secretary had submitted through the government lawyer.