Key facts
- Aleema Khanum, sister of Pakistan's jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, was arrested in Lahore on Sunday.
- PTI officials called the detention "illegal" and stated she was mobilizing supporters via social media and public meetings.
- An arrest order alleged Khanum will be detained for 30 days for "mobilizing people to create law and order situations" and "raising/chanting objectionable slogans amongst the general public against the Government."
- Her son demanded the government disclose her whereabouts and ensure her safe return.
- The arrest is linked to planned protests across the country on September 27, with demonstrators intending to march to Islamabad.
- Streets in Islamabad are lined with shipping containers to safeguard government buildings.
Aleema Khanum, the sister of Pakistan's imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan, was arrested in Lahore on Sunday, according to officials from Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. The arrest occurred ahead of planned protests organized by the PTI in support of Imran Khan, scheduled for September 27. PTI officials described the detention as "illegal." An arrest order from Lahore's deputy commissioner alleged that Khanum was mobilizing Imran Khan's supporters through social media and public meetings, and stated she would be detained for 30 days. The order further claimed she was mobilizing people to "create law and order situations" and "raising/chanting objectionable slogans amongst the general public against the Government." Khanum's son, Shahrez Khan, demanded the government immediately disclose her whereabouts and ensure her safe return. The arrest is widely linked to the upcoming protests, with demonstrators planning to march to the capital, Islamabad. Streets in Islamabad have been fortified with shipping containers to protect government buildings, and Pakistan's interior minister has stated that the protests harm the country and will be stopped. Imran Khan himself has been imprisoned since August 2023, facing charges in over 100 cases, which he maintains are politically motivated.