LAHORE: Aleema Khan, sister of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, has been detained by police under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order, 1960 (MPO), party sources said on Sunday.
Party sources said that Aleema had left her home on Upper Mall in Lahore to go to a gym when she was taken into custody and subsequently shifted to Kot Lakhpat jail.
They said that Lytton Road police detained the PTI founder’s sister, while her vehicle was parked at the police station.
Noreen Niazi, another sister of the PTI founder, told Geo News that Aleema was taken into custody while leaving her home and that she had received information about her being taken to Kot Lakhpat Jail.
“I do not know why they are so worried that they are arresting women as well,” Noreen said.
She said that PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan had called her and wanted to know about the situation surrounding Aleema’s arrest. “We are not frightened by such measures and will always continue striving for our brother.”
Meanwhile, the PTI chief said that Noreen informed him by phone about her sister’s arrest, adding that arresting or keeping Aleema in detention amounted to promoting violence and tension.
“We strongly condemn Aleema Khan’s arrest; this is the first step towards worsening the situation,” he said.
“We have always made it clear that our march will be peaceful and political,” Barrister Gohar said, adding that the party’s objective was to pursue its constitutional and political demands through peaceful struggle.
“We do not want any kind of confrontation or violence,” he said.
He demanded that all such measures be stopped immediately and called for Aleema’s immediate release, saying the party would announce its strategy against such measures soon.
Barrister Gohar backs talks with govt
Earlier, Barrister Gohar backed negotiations with the government, noting that talks have made no headway amid a “cold” political environment.
“Negotiations should take place, but currently the environment is cold; nothing could be worked out,” the PTI chief told Geo News in Peshawar.
Barrister Gohar maintained that political problems required political solutions and that every side would have to take a step back to resolve them.
The former ruling party has announced a nationwide protest, including a march on Islamabad on September 27, demanding the release of party founder Imran Khan and supremacy of the Constitution.
Gohar’s statement comes just a day after Senate Opposition Leader and Tehreek Tahaffuz Aiyeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP) Vice Chairman Allama Raja Nasir Abbas said that Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had met him.
Speaking to the media with other opposition leaders at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House, he said the interior minister had met them, and they had explained their position to him, according to The News.
Naqvi was told that only PTI founder chairman Imran Khan could decide whether to postpone the September 27 march, Abbas added.
During today’s interaction, Barrister Gohar did not deny meeting Naqvi, saying that meetings continued to take place.
“I do not deny meetings with Mohsin Naqvi; meetings keep happening,” he said.
The PTI chief said that efforts were underway to increase the capacity of the KP police, adding that the province had spent Rs45 billion on the police department last year.
“We will ensure that there is no political interference in the police,” he added.
Regarding the KP chief minister’s powers over the police, he said the authority would not be used on personal preferences. “The chief minister will take steps for the improvement of the police.”
Concern over court orders on Sep 27 protest
On the court orders regarding the KP police chief, Barrister Gohar said that the court should not have sought an affidavit from the inspector general of police.
The PTI chief was referring to an Islamabad High Court (IHC) ruling, directing provincial governments, including chief ministers, to ensure that government resources are not used to facilitate people participating in any protest leading towards the federal capital.
In a verdict on a petition challenging the PTI’s planned march, the court ruled that the provincial governments should ensure that no public servant is compelled to participate in any march leading towards Islamabad.
On Saturday, KP Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed directed police officers not to facilitate any march, rally or procession heading towards the federal capital.
Barrister Gohar said that an impression should not be created that the people and police of KP would end up confronting each other. “We will not break any law during the protest, nor will we block roads.”
The PTI chief assured that government resources would not be used for the party’s planned long march towards Islamabad.
