Three sisters of Pakistan's incarcerated former prime minister have been arrested in a sweeping government crackdown targeting family members and political supporters ahead of a nationwide demonstration demanding his release. The detentions mark an escalation of pressure on Khan's inner circle as authorities move to prevent a major protest march scheduled for September 27, 2026.
Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi were all detained and jailed for 30 days under warrants issued by the Lahore district administration, according to their lawyer Rana Mudassir Umar. According to , the detention notification accused Aleema Khan of being a threat to public safety, with allegations that she was organizing supporters through social media and public gatherings.
The arrests unfolded over two days beginning on Sunday, September 22, 2026. Aleema was apprehended in Lahore as she travelled to a private club, with her driver also taken into custody. Early on Monday morning, Uzma and Noreen were arrested following a press conference they held at their family home to condemn Aleema's detention.
How were the arrests carried out?
The operation involved an overwhelming show of force. According to their lawyer, hundreds of police officers surrounded the family residence, with more than 100 entering the property to detain Uzma and Noreen. The raid also swept up their children and grandchildren, aged four and six, as well as household staff members. All mobile phones in the house were confiscated.
By 7am on Monday, the children and grandchildren had been released, but the three sisters remained in custody and were formally charged under Pakistan's Maintenance of Public Order law. Umar stated that the detained women were denied family visits, legal counsel access, and were not permitted to bring clothes or basic necessities.
We have challenged their arrests in the high court in Lahore and [are] hoping we will get a hearing soon.
A petition was filed in the Lahore High Court on Monday challenging the 30-day detention orders and seeking their immediate release, according to Tribune.
Why are the sisters being detained?
None of Khan's sisters hold formal positions within his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. However, since their brother's imprisonment on corruption charges in 2023, they have become vocal advocates for his release. Their activism has included camping outside the prison where he is held and demanding access to him. These efforts have resulted in them being named in various court cases, though this is the first time all three have been held in prison simultaneously.
The government has framed the detentions as necessary to maintain public order ahead of the planned march. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi stated on Monday that authorities would
find a permanent solutionto prevent the demonstration from proceeding and disrupting the country.
According to Amnesty International, the two sisters Noreen Niazi and Uzma Khan are being held in administrative detention at Kot Lakhpat under Maintenance of Public Order orders. The human rights organization characterized the detentions as part of a broader pattern of arbitrary detention affecting Khan's family and party activists.
What is Khan's condition in prison?
Khan's family and the PTI party allege that he is being held in solitary confinement and has been denied visits and calls from his family for six months. They also claim he has been prevented from accessing vital medical treatment. His two sons, based in London and fighting for his release, have accused Pakistan's army chief of orchestrating a personal vendetta against their father, alleging that Pakistani authorities are
slowly killingKhan in prison.
However, developments have occurred since these allegations were made. In August 2026, Khan was transferred from jail to a hospital in Islamabad following a Supreme Court order mandating his medical examination and family access after months of separation, representing a significant shift in his detention conditions.
What is the broader political context?
Khan remains Pakistan's most popular political figure despite his lengthy incarceration, and officials fear that large numbers of supporters could mobilize for the planned march. The country is experiencing widespread discontent driven by an economic crisis and severe petrol shortages linked to turmoil in the Middle East and the Gulf. Public anger over Khan's alleged mistreatment has intensified these grievances.
Pakistan's military establishment, led by army chief General Asim Munir, is widely regarded as the country's most powerful institution. Munir fell out with Khan while Khan served as prime minister. The current civilian coalition government came to power through a 2024 election that was allegedly manipulated by military intervention to prevent Khan's party from returning to power.
The PTI party has faced relentless harassment, with most senior figures either imprisoned or forced to leave politics. Sheikh Waqas Akram, a senior PTI leader, warned that the government fears hundreds of thousands of people may attend the march and
topple the government, citing recent protest movements that have succeeded in neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Over the weekend preceding the arrests, the capital Islamabad was transformed into a heavily fortified zone, with barriers, armed security personnel lining roads, and shipping containers positioned to block city entrances. Akram described the crackdown in stark terms:
Punjab police are raiding houses, harassing families, bulldozing houses and arresting workers and families. They are going to insane levels to crush the long march and stop it with violence and arrests. This illegitimate government know they can't survive if people are allowed to protest and march on Islamabad in huge numbers.
What happens next?
The Lahore High Court petition challenging the sisters' detention was filed on Monday, meaning an early court hearing or ruling may follow. The key focal point remains PTI's planned protest march scheduled for September 27, 2026, which the government has signalled it will move aggressively to prevent. The outcome of both the court proceedings and the march will likely shape the trajectory of Khan's case and Pakistan's political stability in the coming weeks.
PTI leaders have characterized the arrests as part of a broader crackdown on the party's planned march to Islamabad demanding Khan's release, framing the government's actions as an attempt to suppress democratic expression and constitutional rights under the ruling coalition.
