Imran Khan’s son says “no update” on “abducted” sisters of former PM; no contact with father for six months

The three sisters were detained for 30 days ahead of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)'s planned protest march to Islamabad last month demanding updates on Khan's health as well as his release from Adiala Jail, where the PTI founder has been incarcerated since August 2023.

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s son Kasim Khan on Thursday claimed that his three aunts remain “abducted” by the Pakistani authorities and that their family and lawyers have received no update about their condition or the reasons for their incarceration, while noting that he and his brother have had no contact with their father for more than six months. The three sisters were detained for 30 days ahead of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)'s planned protest march to Islamabad last month demanding updates on Khan's health as well as his release from Adiala Jail, where the PTI founder has been incarcerated since August 2023.

In a post on X, Kasim Khan linked the situation of his aunts with the continued lack of contact with his father, saying that he and his brother have not spoken to Imran Khan for more than six months. "Currently, my Aunties are still abducted. Family and lawyers have received no update on how they are, nor why they are incarcerated. Concerning my father, there is complete silence. My brother and I have had no contact with him for more than six months. We do not even know the true state of his health," the post read.

He also referred to protests in Pakistan over the former prime minister's imprisonment, noting that the people were continuing to demand justice and the right to be heard. "Meanwhile, thousands of Pakistanis are peacefully taking to the streets to protest against his illegal and politically motivated imprisonment. However, the people of Pakistan have not given up. No barricade, intimidation or repression can muzzle the people’s demand for justice and their democratic right to be heard. There can be no lasting peace or stability while their democratic will is suppressed and their chosen leader remains behind bars,” Kasim Khan added.

His remarks come a day after the families of Khan’s detained sisters, Aleema Khan, Noreen Niazi and Uzma Khan, approached the Lahore High Court, seeking permission for family members and lawyers to meet them. According to Dawn, Advocate Rana Mudassar Umar filed two separate civil miscellaneous applications in the pending writ petitions on the matter on behalf of Shah Raiz Khan, son of Aleema Khan, and Sakeena Niazi, daughter of Noreen Niazi.

The pleas challenged the denial of meetings between the three sisters and their family members and lawyers, as well as access to medicines. The families have alleged that neither relatives nor legal counsel have been allowed to meet the detained women or provide them with medicines.

The applications stated that medicines had been provided to the sisters on only one occasion and that no one had subsequently been allowed to meet them, Dawn reported. The pleas have raised concerns over the health of the detained sisters and sought directions from the Lahore High Court allowing their lawyers and family members to meet them and provide medicines, as reported by Dawn.

Imran Khan's sisters were detained for 30 days ahead of the party's September 27 protest call. The detentions came amid reports of a crackdown on the PTI ahead of its September 27 countrywide protest and march to Islamabad.

The party had called for the demonstrations to demand Imran Khan's release from jail and mobilise people for the supremacy of the Constitution. On September 24, the Lahore High Court had declined a request to immediately suspend the notifications for the preventive detention of the sisters. (ANI)