ISLAMABAD – Authorities in Pakistan have arrested Aleema Khan, the sister of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan, as the government ramps up a sweeping crackdown on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party ahead of planned nationwide protests.
The PTI announced the arrest on Tuesday, labeling the move a desperate attempt by the ruling coalition to intimidate supporters and dismantle the party’s leadership structure before the upcoming demonstration scheduled for November 24. Party spokespersons stated that Aleema Khan was taken into custody in Islamabad while participating in a peaceful gathering, and she remains in police detention as of Wednesday morning.
The arrest of the former prime minister’s sister marks a significant escalation in the ongoing political turmoil that has gripped Pakistan since Imran Khan was ousted from power in a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022. Since his imprisonment last year on charges ranging from corruption to leaking state secrets—cases which he and his supporters denounce as politically motivated—his family and party have faced constant legal pressure.
Aleema Khan has emerged as a vocal proponent of her brother’s release, frequently organizing protests and engaging with international media to highlight what the PTI calls the systematic erosion of democratic rights in the country. Her detention follows a series of arrests targeting key party figures, legal advisors, and mid-level activists across the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.
The PTI has issued a “final call” for a major protest march to the capital, Islamabad, next week, demanding the release of Imran Khan and an end to what they describe as a “mandate theft” following February’s controversial general elections. In anticipation of the event, the government has imposed strict Section 144 orders in several cities, banning public gatherings and assemblies. Reports from Islamabad indicate that heavy security cordons have been established around key government buildings, and access to major arterial roads leading to the capital may be blocked with shipping containers to prevent convoys from reaching the city center.
Human rights organizations have voiced concern over the escalating tensions. Amnesty International and other advocacy groups have urged the Pakistani government to respect the right to peaceful assembly and to cease the arbitrary detention of political dissidents. However, the Interior Ministry maintains that the measures are necessary to prevent civil unrest and ensure public safety, citing intelligence reports of potential violence aimed at destabilizing the administration.
As the date of the protests draws near, the political climate remains volatile. With the PTI leadership largely in hiding or behind bars, the party’s rank-and-file members are left to navigate a high-stakes standoff with the state apparatus, signaling that the path to political reconciliation in Pakistan remains increasingly narrow.
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