LHC declines stay on Imran sisters' detention

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday declined an immediate request to suspend the detention notifications issued against PTI founder Imran Khan's sisters, Dr Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi, and sought replies from the relevant authorities on their petitions challenging the detentions. Uzma and Noreen had been taken into custody a few days earlier for 30 days under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance 1960 (MPO), a day after their sister Aleema Khan was detained. The detentions of Imran's sisters and other PTI leaders came ahead of the party's planned countrywide protest on September 27 and march to Islamabad. Justice Abher Gul Khan heard the petitions, while lawyers Rana Mudassar Umar and Barrister Taimur appeared on behalf of the petitioners. During the proceedings, Umar asked the court to suspend the detention notifications, saying he wanted to place certain facts before the bench. "Both women are housewives, and Dr Uzma has already been found innocent in the case registered against her," the counsel submitted. He also told the court that a copy of the trial court's decision had been attached to the petition. The court declined to suspend the notifications at this stage and instead directed the relevant authorities to submit their reports and replies. "Let us seek reports from the relevant parties," Justice Khan observed. The petitions sought the annulment of detention notifications issued by the deputy commissioner. The court subsequently issued notices to the respondents, seeking their replies on the pleas. The respondents included the Lahore deputy commissioner, capital city police officer, secretary of the Home Department and superintendent of Kot Lakhpat jail. Noreen's daughter, Sakina, and others had also approached the high court through Umar, challenging the detention orders. A few days earlier, Justice Gul, while hearing a petition challenging the detention of Aleema and her driver, had sought arguments on the maintainability of the plea.