The Lahore High Court (LHC) has sought a report from jail authorities regarding the provision of medicines, clothing and other essential items to the detained sisters of former prime minister Imran Khan.
Aleema Khan, Noreen Niazi and Dr Uzma Khan have been in detention for nearly three weeks under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance.
Dr Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi were detained for 30 days on September 21, ahead of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) planned protest on September 27, which was later postponed to October 4. Aleema Khan had been detained a day earlier, on September 20.
On Friday, Justice Abher Gul Khan heard civil miscellaneous applications filed by Aleema Khan’s son, Shahzair Khan, and Noreen Niazi’s daughter, Sakeena Niazi.
The applications, submitted earlier this week, challenged the alleged denial of medicines and access to family members and legal counsel.
During the hearing, counsel for the petitioners, Rana Mudassar Umar, told the court that 19 days had passed since the sisters’ detention, but they had allegedly not been provided with medicines and clothing.
Justice Khan observed that Aleema Khan had received clothes and medicines. However, the counsel maintained that the items were supplied only after court intervention and that nothing had been provided earlier.
Umar requested the court to direct jail authorities to provide Noreen Niazi with books, medicines and other essential supplies.
The judge asked the counsel to specify the required items, noting that only those approved by the court would be permitted inside the jail.
The counsel sought permission to deliver medicines, clothing, books and food items to the detained sisters. In response, the court said it would seek reports from the jail superintendent on the applications.
The petitioners’ counsel also requested an early hearing of the main petition challenging the sisters’ preventive detention.
Justice Khan said the court would take up the main petition after the medicines and clothing had been delivered. She asked the counsel to decide whether he wished to proceed with arguments on the main petition or pursue the miscellaneous applications first.
The hearing was adjourned until October 12.
On September 24, the LHC had declined a request to immediately suspend the preventive detention orders issued against Noreen Niazi and Dr Uzma Khan.
Earlier this week, Imran Khan’s cousin Qasim Zaman was also taken into custody under the MPO Ordinance when he visited Adiala Jail to meet the former prime minister.
Meanwhile, several PTI members and workers, including provincial ministers and lawmakers, have reportedly faced arrests and detentions as the party continues its protest march.
Imran Khan’s sisters have regularly visited Adiala Jail in an attempt to meet him. Following their detention, their cousin Qasim Zaman visited the prison instead.
