LAHORE: The Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (TTAP), Punjab, says hundreds of political workers and leaders across the province have been held in preventive detention under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance, including PTI founder Imran Khan’s sisters.

TTAP Punjab chief organiser Ammar Ali Jan says the party’s information secretary Shayan Bashir has been held under detention since Sept 20 while he has been denied access to his lawyers and family members.

Mr Jan said Mr Bashir’s political work had centred on constitutional and democratic processes. In June, he took part in a TTAP Punjab workers’ convention that called for supremacy of the Constitution, rule of law and credible elections and resolved to build a peaceful, democratic and constitutional movement.

In September, Bashir co-led a TTAP Punjab delegation to the Senate’s Opposition Chamber. The meeting stressed closer coordination among democratic forces, an effective role for Parliament, and safeguarding the people’s fundamental and political rights. He said his advocacy had also focused on the everyday concerns of ordinary citizens: families facing inflation and unemployment, access to affordable medicine, and clean drinking water. He had consistently called for political expression to remain peaceful.

Since the constitution guarantees every citizen the freedoms of assembly, association and expression, and the right to take part in political life, Mr Jan urged the Punjab government to ensure that all those detained were given access to their lawyers, families and medical care; allow pending petitions before the courts to be heard without delay; and review the detentions and allow those held to return to their homes and work at the earliest.

Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2026