Lahore, November 12, 2026: Dr Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi, sisters of incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, were released from Kot Lakhpat jail on Thursday after the withdrawal of their extended detention orders, PTI legal counsel Rana Mudassar Umer said.
In a post on X, he said the two women, who were detained in September under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance along with their sister Aleema Khan, had returned home safely.
PTI lawyer Taimur Malik also confirmed their release, saying it followed the withdrawal of the “unlawful MPO detention order”.
“Everyone else detained under these MPO orders should be released as well,” he added.
Noreen’s son, Wali, also confirmed the release of his mother and aunt in a post on X, saying they had been held for 53 days under Section 3 of the MPO without charges or trial.
He said Noreen, who is in her seventies, had been shifted to a cardiac hospital two weeks earlier without the family being informed.
Calling for a judge to explain both the detention and release decisions, Wali alleged that neither had been based on law, describing the detention as arbitrary.
Imran Khan’s three sisters — Noreen, Aleema and Uzma — were detained on the orders of the Lahore deputy commissioner as the PTI prepared for a protest march towards Islamabad. Their initial detention was ordered for 30 days.
After the initial period expired, the detentions were challenged in the Lahore High Court. The Punjab government subsequently informed the court that the orders had been extended for another 30 days.
Aleema Khan, who was the first of the three sisters to be detained, remains in jail.
On October 28, Noreen was transferred from Kot Lakhpat jail to the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) after experiencing high blood pressure. Her lawyer had claimed that the family was not informed about her deteriorating health.
The PTI had also condemned her transfer to the hospital without notifying her family, expressing serious concern over her health and the treatment of political prisoners.
The government, however, maintained that she was in stable condition after receiving medical attention.
“As per the information available, she is fine and all her medical tests are normal,” Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah told the Senate on October 29.
