Pakistan jails sisters of Imran Khan before protest seeking his release

Police crack down on family and political supporters of former PM who say authorities are ‘slowly killing’ him in prison

Three sisters of Pakistan’s incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan have been arrested amid a heavy-handed government crackdown on plans for a nationwide protest to demand Khan’s release.

The lawyer for the three sisters, Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi, said on Monday that they had all been detained and jailed for 30 days under a warrant that accused them of being a threat to public order.

Leaders from Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) condemned the “illegal harassment” of his sisters. Since Khan was arrested and held in prison on corruption charges in 2023, his sisters have been vocal advocates for his release.

His family and party allege that Khan is being kept in solitary confinement and has been denied visits and calls from his family for six months, as well as being allegedly prevented from accessing vital medical treatment for an eye condition.