Aleema Khan, Noreen Niazi and Dr Uzma Khan, sisters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, are held at Kot Lakhpat Jail, Lahore, under 30-day administrative detention orders issued on 20 September 2026 under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960. Finn Right considers that the documented situation raises serious human-rights concerns.
What Is Documented
Reporting indicates the Lahore Deputy Commissioner ordered the detentions, describing the sisters as prejudicial to public safety and public order, ahead of a protest planned by Mr Khan’s party for 27 September. Finn Right International has described the detentions as arbitrary and a flagrant violation of human rights.
The Lahore High Court has declined to immediately suspend the orders for two of the sisters and has issued notices to the authorities. Government officials say the protest call was illegal and that public order must be maintained.
What Is Not Verified
Finn Right has not independently verified reports of a hunger strike, the conditions of custody, or the health of the detainees. Claims that the detention is linked solely to the exercise of protected rights are allegations, and Finn Right treats them as such pending disclosure of the grounds of detention.
Why It Matters
The detainees are elderly women held without criminal charge, according to available reports. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Pakistan is a State party, protects liberty and access to prompt judicial review (Article 9), freedom of expression (Article 19) and peaceful assembly (Article 21).
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights sets out the same principles in Articles 9, 19 and 20. Restrictions on these rights must be lawful, necessary and proportionate, and detention based on family relationship is inconsistent with equal treatment before the law.
Finn Right Calls Upon the Relevant Authorities To
- Release Aleema Khan, Noreen Niazi and Dr Uzma Khan, or disclose an individualised, evidence-based justification for their detention.
- Guarantee prompt judicial review and full access to lawyers, family members and independent medical care.
- Review the use of preventive detention under the 1960 Ordinance against political actors and their relatives.
- Cooperate with UN human-rights mechanisms, including the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
Finn Right calls on the international community and human-rights organisations to monitor the case closely. The protection of human dignity, equality before the law and fundamental freedoms must remain a priority.
FAQ
Who is detained?
Aleema Khan, Noreen Niazi and Dr Uzma Khan, at Kot Lakhpat Jail, Lahore.
Under what law?
The Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960 (3-MPO), which allows preventive detention without charge, initially for 30 days.
Is the hunger strike confirmed?
Not by Finn Right. It remains unverified.
Conclusion
The Imran Khan sisters detention raises serious human-rights concerns that warrant urgent attention from the relevant authorities. Aleema Khan, Noreen Niazi and Dr Uzma Khan are held under administrative orders, and reporting indicates that no criminal charge has been brought. Human dignity, equality before the law and the right to liberty apply to every person, regardless of family name or political affiliation.
Finn Right calls upon the authorities to release the three sisters or to provide an individualised, evidence-based justification, and to guarantee prompt judicial review, access to lawyers and family, and independent medical care. Accountability and transparency are essential to protecting human rights. Finn Right will continue to monitor developments closely.