Islamabad, September 22, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Amnesty International has called on Pakistani authorities to immediately release relatives of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, including his three sisters, along with activists of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, describing their detentions as arbitrary.
In a post on X on Tuesday, the international rights organisation said the detention of Khan’s family members and PTI activists amounted to what it described as a violation of their rights to liberty, freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.
“Members of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s family, including his three sisters, as well as activists from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), have been arbitrarily detained,” Amnesty International said.
The organisation urged Pakistani authorities to release Khan’s relatives and PTI workers, saying they had been targeted because of their family connections, political affiliation and plans to participate in protests.
Khan’s sisters Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi were detained for 30 days on Monday, a day after their sister Aleema Khan was arrested. The detentions were ordered by the Lahore Deputy Commissioner under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960.
The arrests came ahead of a PTI protest and march to Islamabad scheduled for September 27.
Pakistan’s women’s rights organisation Aurat March also criticised the detentions on Tuesday. While stating that it does not align itself with any political party and has disagreed with some PTI policies, the organisation said the arrests of Khan’s relatives and attempts to prevent PTI supporters from marching in Islamabad were, in its view, “unconstitutional and inhumane”.
Aurat March called for the alleged intimidation, arrests and detention of Khan’s relatives, as well as restrictions on PTI supporters’ planned march, to be condemned.
Khan was first arrested on May 9, 2023, triggering widespread protests across Pakistan, and was arrested again on August 5, 2023. He has remained in detention since then.
Amnesty International said in August that key PTI members and supporters faced mass and arbitrary arrests following protests on May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2024. According to the rights organisation, many remain detained under anti-terrorism charges, while 85 people have been convicted by military courts.
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