Aleema Khan detained under MPO in Lahore, PTI confirms arrest

LAHORE: Aleema Khan, sister of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan, was arrested by Lahore police outside her home on Sunday, family sources and the party said, as PTI accused the government of abducting her.

Sources said that Aleema Khan was taken into custody under Section 16 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance on grounds of preventing a breach of peace.

The family confirmed her detention, while Lahore police had yet to issue an official statement.

Her detention comes as PTI prepares for countrywide protests and a long march on Islamabad in September, which the party says are aimed at pressing for the release of Imran Khan and protesting his continued detention and alleged denial of medical treatment and access to healthcare at Adiala jail.

Sources said Aleema Khan’s vehicle was parked at a police station and that she had been shifted to Central Jail Lahore, commonly known as Kot Lakhpat Jail.

PTI leader Brigadier (retd) Mushtaq,  later said she had been moved to an undisclosed location.

The PTI Central Punjab spokesperson strongly condemned her detention and said a large number of party workers were also being arrested.

“These arrests are continuing on a large scale,” the spokesperson said.

In a post on X, PTI alleged that the “illegitimate government and its handlers who have seized illegitimate power” had abducted Aleema Khan from outside her home.

اس ناجائز حکومت اور انکے ناجائز اقتدار پر قابض ہینڈلرز نے علیمہ خانم کو انکے گھر کی باہر سے اغواء کر لیا۔

— PTI (@PTIofficial) September 20, 2026

Brigadier (retd) Mushtaq also alleged that the government was afraid of a “public revolution” and said Aleema Khan had been moved to an undisclosed location.

Sources said several other important individuals could also be placed under detention under the MPO.

Aleema Khan is facing multiple cases related to protests and other incidents.

Her lawyer Rana Mudassar Umar said that Aleema Khan was detained illegally by police.

In a tweet on X, he said that Aleema Khan has bail in all cases registered against her in Lahore, Umar said, adding that he did not know where she was being held or which police station she had been taken to.

علیمہ خان صاحبہ صبح ڈرائیور کے ہمراہ گھر سے نکلیں تو پولیس نے غیر قانونی طور پر ان کو گرفتار کر کے نا معلوم مقام پر منتقل کیا۔ علیمہ خان صاحبہ کی لاہور کے تمام مقدمات میں ضمانتیں ہیں۔ ان کو کس مقدمہ، مقام یا تھانہ میں رکھا ہے اس بابت ابھی کچھ علم میں نہ ہے۔ @PTIofficial pic.twitter.com/EYUpW3weVN

— Rana Mudassar Umer (@MudassarUmer4) September 20, 2026

On September 5, an anti-terrorism court in Lahore extended until October 6 the interim bail of Aleema Khan, her sister Uzma Khan and several other PTI leaders in cases relating to the May 9 violence.

Authorities have also recently used the MPO to detain PTI figures in Lahore.

On September 16, Lahore authorities ordered the detention of five PTI-linked individuals for 30 days under the law ahead of KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s visit to the city.

The reported detention comes amid heightened political tensions between PTI and the government, with the party maintaining its call for political action and protests.

Aleema Khan has remained a prominent voice in the party’s campaign over Imran Khan’s imprisonment and access to him. She was among his family members who were denied a meeting with him at Adiala Jail earlier this week.