LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday directed the counsel for Noreen Niazi, sister of former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan, to file a separate miscellaneous application seeking medical treatment and family meetings.

On Wednesday evening, Noreen was shifted to the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) following her deteriorating health conditions, on the recommendation of the doctors of the Kot Lakhpat Jail, where she has been detained.

Justice Abher Gul Khan issued the direction while hearing a petition filed by Sakeena Niazi challenging the extension of the preventive detention of PTI founder Imran Khan’s two sisters, Noreen and Dr Uzma Khan.

The judge asked the petitioner’s counsel whether an application had been filed seeking permission for medical treatment and meetings with family members.

Advocate Rana Mudassar Umar, counsel for the petitioner, replied that an application to this effect had been submitted to the deputy commissioner.

The judge directed the counsel to also file a separate civil miscellaneous application with the court. The counsel argued that there was no lawful justification for extending the detention of the two women.

He said Noreen, 70, had never suffered from a heart ailment before.

Questioning the circumstances that led to her hospitalisation, Advocate Umar asked what kind of pressure had been exerted on her during detention that she had to be taken to hospital.

He argued that the fresh detention orders were replicas of the previous ones, with only the dates changed. He further argued that suspending the detention notification would pave the way for the women’s release.

PTI Secretary General Advocate Salman Akram Raja, who was also present in court, claimed that Noreen was ill and had been shifted to the hospital’s intensive care unit.

However, neither her family members nor her lawyer had been allowed to meet her, he added. He said he was unaware whether she was still in hospital or had been shifted back to jail.

Asked whether the home secretary, who was abroad, had returned to the country, Additional Advocate General Nasir Chohan said he would check and inform the court.

Another petition, filed by Shahrez Khan challenging the detention of his mother, Aleema Khan, is yet to be fixed for a hearing.

Imran’s sisters were detained by authorities in September, under Section 3 of the MPO, as the PTI geared up for a planned protest march towards Islamabad.

Their detention was ordered for 30 days and would have expired on Oct 19 for Aleema and Oct 20 for Uzma and Noreen. However, they remained in jail, and the government later informed the LHC that their detentions had been extended on Oct 7.

On Sept 24, the LHC had turned down a request to immediately suspend the preventive detention notifications issued against Noreen and Dr Uzma.

Earlier this month, Imran’s cousin, Qasim Zaman, was also taken into custody when he went to Adiala jail to meet the ex-prime minister.

The detention had come amid reports of a crackdown on the PTI ahead of its countrywide protest and march to Islamabad, which the party had called to demand Imran’s release from jail and mobilise people for the supremacy of the Constitution.