Responding to the arbitrary detention of members of former prime minister Imran Khan’s family, including his three sisters, as well as activists from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ahead of the party’s planned protests and march on 27 September , Babu Ram Pant, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for South Asia, said:
“The targeting of Imran Khan’s family and PTI party activists is a flagrant violation of their rights to liberty, freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly. Such actions speak to the severity of the current restrictions in Pakistan.
“The pre-emptive arrests of PTI members come ahead of planned country-wide protests by the party on 27 September, which government officials have openly vowed to stop. Roadblocks are already being erected in Islamabad. These developments do not bode well, especially given the authorities’ long track record of reckless and unlawful use of force against protesters. A protest cannot be deemed violent before it has even started. Pakistan’s authorities must uphold their obligations under international human rights law to facilitate peaceful assembly and refrain from unlawful measures to thwart these protests.
Such actions speak to the severity of the current restrictions in Pakistan
Babu Ram Pant, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for South Asia
“Amnesty International calls on the Pakistani authorities to immediately release Imran Khan’s relatives and PTI workers, who have been targeted simply for their familial ties, political affiliation and plans to protest.”
Background
PTI has announced a march towards the capital Islamabad on 27 September to demand Imran Khan’s release and, while still detained, access to adequate healthcare and regular visits from family and lawyers. Imran Khan has been imprisoned in Adaila Jail for three years. He is currently serving a 14-year sentence related to corruption allegations and a separate 17-year sentence for a case involving state gifts.
On 20 September, Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khan was put under administrative detention at Central Jail, Kot Lakhpat, Lahore for 30 days under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960 (MPO). In the early hours of 21 September, his other two sisters, Noreen Niazi and Uzma Khan, and his nieces and nephews Sakeena Niazi, Shahrez Khan and Shershah Khan were also taken into custody. It has emerged that Noreen and Uzma are in administrative detention at Kot Lakhpat under MPO orders, while the others have been released. Noreen’s daughter and son-in-law were also briefly detained on 20 September. The party has reported that PTI’s members of parliament, Sanaullah Mastikhel, Ahsan Jamal Khan and Mian Ghous, were also taken into custody along with dozens of other party activists and workers. Earlier in the week, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja was also briefly detained by the authorities. PTI workers across Punjab are being detained, and some are being released after signing affidavits stating they will not participate in the protests.
Ahead of PTI’s planned march, the Islamabad High Court has ruled that no political party has the right to occupy public roads, highways, or government buildings while hearing a petition regarding the march. Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has made statements stating that no group will be allowed to enter Islamabad on 27 September and the government will stop any march “in every possible way”.
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