LAHORE: A writ petition was filed before the Lahore High Court on Wednesday seeking production and release of three sisters of PTI founding chairman Imran Khan.

The petition alleged the sisters – Aleema Khan, Noreen Niazi and Uzma Khan – remain at Kot Lakhpat central jail even though their 30-day detention orders under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance, 1960, had lapsed.

The petitioner, Shahrez Khan, a son of Aleema Khan, named the Punjab home secretary (grievance redressal commissioner), the inspector general of police, the capital city police officer and the central jail superintendent as respondents.

The petition filed through Advocate Rana Mudassar Umar, states that the sisters were taken into custody on Sept 20 and the deputy commissioner issued detention orders the same day under Section 3 of the MPO.

It says the detention orders expired on Oct 19, yet the jail authorities have not released them despite a request.

It alleges that the three sisters are not wanted in any case, however, fears they may be implicated in false cases.

The petition argues that the detention is malicious and due to their efforts for their brother’s release.

It further argues that preventive detention cannot replace ordinary criminal law and that the order violates Article 10 and the safeguards of Section 3.

It merits mentioning that two earlier petitions against the detention orders were disposed of on Oct 9 and 12 by the LHC, which directed the home department to decide pending representations.

The court had expressed no opinion on the merits of the case.

The petitioner now asks the court to declare the detention orders void and release the detainees, besides suspending the orders’ operation.

The hearing of the petition has been fixed for Thursday (today) before Justice Abher Gul Khan.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2026