PTI Condemns Arrests of Imran’s Family Members

Key Takeaways

PTI condemns the arrests of Imran Khan’s sisters and their children.
The arrests come amid heightened tensions ahead of a planned PTI protest.
Five PTI lawmakers have also been arrested in Islamabad.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has condemned the illegal and high-handed actions of Punjab Police in arresting both sisters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, Noreen Khan and Dr Uzma Khan, along with their children, and the sons of Aleema Khan, who was arrested earlier.

In a statement, PTI described the arrests as a blatant abuse of authority, a violation of fundamental rights, and an act of political victimization. The arrests have been made amid reports of a crackdown on PTI ahead of a planned protest march by the party on September 27.

PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram confirmed that Punjab Police had arrested both sisters of Imran, along with their children and the sons of Aleema. He stated that they have been placed in an armoured vehicle and are being taken to an unknown location.

Imran’s son Kasim Khan, in a post on his X account, expressed his disappointment and claimed that “they” had broken into his aunties and cousins’ houses and forced them into vehicles with no explanation. He stated that “No reasons for arrest have been stated. No news has been released as to where they have been taken. This is criminal behaviour. Inexcusable.”

The arrests of PTI lawmakers, including Senator Saifullah Niazi, Sanaullah Mastikhel, Jamal Ahsan Khan, Dawar Khan, and Muhammad Ghaus, have also been reported. These lawmakers were arrested from Islamabad’s Red Zone and shifted to an undisclosed location under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO), according to the Islamabad Police.

PTI demanded the immediate disclosure of the whereabouts of the arrested family members, their safe return, and their production before a court of law. The party maintained that such conduct is illegal, unconstitutional, and should be condemned in the strongest possible terms.

The development has heightened tensions in the country’s political landscape, with opposition leaders issuing strong statements and the government launching strict measures to maintain law and order.

Kasim Khan called for intervention, stating that “The world MUST take action.” He expressed concern over the Pakistani people’s fear of their own leaders and emphasized that no upstanding nation should tolerate such criminal behavior.