LAHORE: The PTI has challenged the Punjab government over a video claiming that Aleema Khan’s elder son, Shahrez Khan, was involved in the violence that occurred on May 9, 2023.

The party contends that the video being relied on pertains to its Kahna public meeting, held on Sept 21, 2024.

Shahrez Khan was “arrested” from his home, when he was preparing to go abroad to participate in an athletic international championship on Thursday (Aug 21) after men in plainclothes barged into his home on the Canal Road.

The next day, his younger brother Shershah was also arrested from outside his house. Both are on police remand.

In a video posted to state broadcaster PTV News’ official X handle, a series of clips are shown wherein Shahrez can be seen walking alongside his mother Aleema Khan, as well as PTI’s Khadija Shah, Shayan Bashir and some others.

In the caption of the clip, it is claimed that both Shahrez and Shershah were arrested over their involvement in the attack on the Lahore corps commander’s residence on May 9, 2023.

However, PTI’s Shayan Bashir stated the video clip in question was from the party’s public meeting in Lahore’s Kahna area, for which the party had obtained an NOC.

He said Shahrez, owing to non-availability of a driver, had driven his mother to the public meeting. He claimed that since police had stopped party leaders’ vehicles some five kilometres from the venue, they could be seen walking to reach the venue.

Mr Bashir claimed he had met Shahrez at a police station in Lahore Cantt and reported that “he was OK”.

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2025