The Lahore High Court on Thursday ordered the Punjab home secretary and the superintendent of Kot Lakhpat jail to appear in person on October 28. The order came during a hearing on a plea seeking the recovery of the three sisters of jailed PTI founder Imran Khan.
Aleema Khan, Noreen Niazi and Dr Uzma Khan have been held since last month under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance over the PTI’s anti-government protest. Noreen and Uzma were detained for 30 days on September 21, shortly before a protest planned for September 27 was moved to October 4. Aleema was taken into custody a day earlier, on September 20.
Counsel says detention orders have lapsed
The petitioner’s lawyer told the court that the detention orders for all three women expired on October 19 and 20. Justice Abher Gul Khan asked why the Lahore deputy commissioner had not been named as a respondent. The counsel replied that the official was left out because the detention notification he had issued had already expired.
During the proceedings, Ahed Khan, Uzma Khan’s husband, asked the court to summon the deputy commissioner as well. Justice Abher Gul observed that the official could not be called when he was not a party to the case.
Fresh petition challenges detention at Kot Lakhpat
Aleema Khan’s son, Shahrez Khan, filed a fresh petition in the LHC a day earlier challenging the detention of his aunts. The petition stated that the sisters remained at Kot Lakhpat Jail even though the 30-day detention period had ended.
