World · India Bureau
Pakistan arrests Imran Khan's three sisters ahead of PTI protest rally
The sisters of Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan were taken into custody on Tuesday, according to PTI officials, ahead of a planned mass demonstration by the opposition party. The children accompanying them were subsequently released.
LSN India ·
Three sisters of Imran Khan were arrested in Pakistan as the country braced for a major protest organized by Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. Sheikh Waqas, the party's information secretary, confirmed that the siblings of the 73-year-old former prime minister were taken into police custody.
Waqas said that while Khan's sisters and their accompanying children were initially detained, the minors were later released. The timing of the arrests, coming ahead of PTI's planned large-scale rally, drew criticism from opposition figures who characterized the action as an attempt to intimidate the party and suppress dissent.
The detention marks the latest in a series of crackdowns on PTI members and associates in recent months. Pakistan's government has intensified restrictions on the party since Khan's ousting from office in 2022, citing security concerns and allegations that the party has violated protest regulations.
PTI has faced mounting pressure as it attempts to mobilize supporters for what the party describes as a crucial demonstration against the current government. The party has called on its base to participate in the protest despite administrative obstacles and security operations being conducted across major cities.