Pakistan police arrested Aleema Khanum, a sister of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, in Lahore, according to France 24 and the BBC. Two more of Khan's sisters, Uzma and Noreen, were also detained in the city under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) ordinance for 30 days, Dawn reported.
The detentions came ahead of a march planned by Khan's party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Reuters reported. PTI said Aleema Khan was taken into custody in Lahore, according to The Express Tribune.
Khan, the former prime minister, is serving time in prison. His sisters have been among the most visible figures pressing for his release and representing his party's position in public.
The MPO is an administrative measure that allows Pakistani authorities to hold a person for a set period without a standard criminal case, and Dawn reported the 30-day term applied to Uzma and Noreen.
The arrests drew attention from international outlets, with France 24 and the BBC both carrying the news of Aleema Khanum's detention. Reuters framed the arrests as occurring before the party's planned march, while Dawn provided the detail on the additional sisters and the length of the detention order.
What to watch next: whether PTI proceeds with its planned march and whether the detained sisters are released or face extended custody.
