Quick Facts
Introduction
Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi left Kot Lakhpat Jail on 12 November after about 53 days under MPO. Aleema Khan is still held. What we know so far.
Two of Imran Khan's three detained sisters are home after close to two months in custody. Their family and lawyers welcomed the release but said no reason was given for it, just as, in their view, no lawful reason was given for the arrests.
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Here is what is confirmed, what the different sides have said, and what is still unclear.
What Happened on 12 November
Noreen Niazi's lawyer, Rana Mudassar Umer, posted on X on Thursday that both sisters had been released and had reached home safely. Daily Times, citing jail officials quoted by Dunya News, reported that the prison received formal release orders before freeing them, and that PTI supporters gathered outside the jail.
The reports do not agree on how the release came about:
- PTI lawyer Taimur Malik told The Express Tribune it followed the withdrawal of their MPO detention orders.
- Aaj News, quoting unnamed sources, said PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan played a key role in securing it.
- No statement from the Punjab government on the release had been reported by Thursday evening.
Why They Were Detained
The arrests came days before a PTI march towards Islamabad planned for late September. Aleema Khan was detained on 20 September, and Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi the next day, according to The Express Tribune and Aaj News.
The Lahore deputy commissioner issued 30-day detention orders under Section 3 of the MPO, a law that allows preventive detention to maintain public order without a criminal case. Police reports said the sisters' activities posed a threat to public safety. Daily Times reported that the orders accused them of mobilising PTI workers and also referred to the May 9, 2023 protests and online incitement. The orders were extended by another 30 days in October.
| Date (2026) | Event |
|---|---|
| 20 September | Aleema Khan detained under MPO |
| 21 September | Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi detained under MPO |
| 25 September | Lahore High Court declines to suspend the detention orders at that stage and seeks replies |
| 22 October | LHC summons the Punjab home secretary and jail superintendent over detention after the first orders expired |
| October | Punjab government extends the detention by 30 days |
| 28 October | Noreen Niazi moved to the Punjab Institute of Cardiology, Lahore, as her health worsens |
| 12 November | Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi released from Kot Lakhpat Jail |
Noreen Niazi's Health
Noreen Niazi, who is about 70, was shifted from jail to the Punjab Institute of Cardiology on 28 October. Her lawyer said at the time that her health had deteriorated in custody and that the family had not been informed of the transfer. No update on her condition after the release had been shared publicly by Thursday evening.
What the Family and PTI Said
Uzma Khan's son, Wali Khan, wrote on X on what he called day 53 that his mother and aunt had been held with no charge and no trial, and released without any explanation. Al Jazeera quoted him as saying their jailing was arbitrary, and so was their release. He also demanded the release of Aleema Khan, Imran Khan and others held under the MPO.
Taimur Malik called the detention orders unlawful and said everyone else held under similar orders should be freed without waiting for the next court hearing. PTI leader Zulfiqar Bukhari told Al Jazeera that the release of two sisters does not end the injustice while Aleema Khan is still behind bars.
The federal government had earlier said the sisters were detained because they could have been a threat to law and order before the march, according to Al Jazeera.
Aleema Khan and Imran Khan
Jail Superintendent Chaudhry Ijaz Asghar confirmed to The Express Tribune that Aleema Khan remains at Kot Lakhpat. Daily Times reported that jail staff had not received any release documents for her.
Imran Khan, 74, has been in jail since August 2023. Al Jazeera reported that the release came a day after he was taken to hospital in Islamabad for treatment, and that concern over his right eye has been central to PTI's recent campaign. For background on the party's protest plans, see our report on the PTI KP chapter's protest decision.
What Is Still Not Clear
- Whether the MPO orders were formally withdrawn, suspended or simply not renewed.
- Whether Aleema Khan's orders will also be withdrawn, and when.
- The status of the petitions in the Lahore High Court. One report says a petition was disposed of in October, while the sisters' lawyer says their petitions were never fixed for hearing and a 10 November hearing did not take place.
- How long the sisters were held: their family counts 53 days, while some headlines say 50.
FAQs
When were Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi released?
They were released from Kot Lakhpat Jail, Lahore, on Thursday, 12 November 2026.
Why were Imran Khan's sisters arrested?
They were detained under Section 3 of the Punjab MPO Ordinance before a planned PTI march. The orders said their activities threatened public order. No criminal charge was filed.
Has Aleema Khan been released?
No. As of 12 November, Aleema Khan was still at Kot Lakhpat Jail, according to the jail superintendent.
How long were they detained?
About 53 days, counted by the family from the September arrests. Some reports round this to 50 days.
Sources: The Express Tribune, Al Jazeera, Aaj News and Daily Times. Information as of the evening of 12 November 2026.
The featured image is an AI-generated illustration of a prison gate. It is not a photograph of Kot Lakhpat Jail or of the release.
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