The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday directed jail authorities to arrange a meeting between Noreen Niazi, the sister of PTI founder Imran Khan, and her two daughters on Tuesday (tomorrow).
asserted
Court → direct → Tuesday
Justice Abher Gul Khan issued the directives while hearing petitions challenging the extensions in the detention orders of Imran’s sisters Noreen, Uzma Khan and Aleema Khanum.
asserted
Khan → issue → sisters
The judge also summoned the Lahore deputy commissioner to appear in person on Nov 4 and explain the extensions in the detention orders of Noreen and Uzma Khan.
asserted
judge → summon → Noreen
Aleema and Noreen, along with their sister Uzma Khan, were detained under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960 in September, as the PTI geared up for a protest march to Islamabad.
asserted
PTI → detain → Islamabad
Their detentions have come amid reports of several PTI leaders and workers being taken into custody ahead of the march planned to demand Imran’s release from prison.
asserted
leaders → come → prison
Among them, Aleema was detained on Sept 20 for 30 days and Noreen and Uzma the next day for the same period.
asserted
Aleema → detain → period
Their detention was challenged in the court after the 30-day period lapsed last month, following which the Punjab government informed the court that their detention periods had been extended for another 30 days.
asserted
periods → challenge → days
During Monday’s hearing, the petitioners’ counsel Rana Mudassar Umar told the court that Noreen’s two daughters and lawyers wanted to meet her.
asserted
daughters → tell → her
He expressed concern over her health, saying she was an elderly woman and her actual condition could only be ascertained after meeting her.
uncertain
condition → express → her
Among the three detainees, Noreen had been shifted to the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) following her deteriorating health, on the recommendation of the doctors of the Kot Lakhpat Jail, where she has been detained.
asserted
she → shift → Jail
Later, adviser to the prime minister on political affairs, Rana Sanaullah, had informed the Senate that Noreen was fine after being provided medical treatment in Lahore.
asserted
Noreen → inform → Lahore
On Monday, the judge asked a provincial law officer whether a specific day had been fixed for prisoners’ meetings.
asserted
day → ask → meetings
The law officer said the jail authorities had no objection to allowing the meeting.
asserted
authorities → say → meeting
The law officer also submitted a report on behalf of the Home Department, stating that Noreen had been taken to hospital for treatment and subsequently shifted back to jail on doctors’ advice.
asserted
Noreen → submit → advice
He said her daughter, Hajira Niazi, had been allowed to meet her at the hospital on Oct 29.
asserted
daughter → say → Oct
The court subsequently directed the jail authorities to facilitate a meeting between Noreen and her two daughters on Tuesday.
asserted
court → direct → Tuesday
Meanwhile, the judge adjourned the hearing of a petition challenging Aleema’s fresh detention until next week.
asserted
judge → adjourn → week
Reports sought
asserted
Reports → seek → ?
Earlier in the day, the LHC had sought reports from the Punjab Home Department.
asserted
LHC → seek → Department
Justice Khan directed the Home Department to submit the reports by 2pm as she heard pleas filed by Noreen’s daughter, Sakeena, and Shahrez Khan, Aleema’s son.
asserted
she → direct → daughter
The petitioner’s counsel contended that Aleema, Noreen and Uzma’s detentions had been extended “unlawfully”.
asserted
detentions → contend → ?
He noted that after the initial 30-day detention period, the Lahore deputy commissioner had issued a notification for its extension.
asserted
commissioner → note → extension
He claimed that the detained women had also not been allowed to meet their family members or lawyers.
asserted
women → claim → members
The counsel asked the court to declare the fresh detention notifications “illegal”.
asserted
notifications → ask → court
PTI Secretary General Advocate Salman Akram Raja informed the court that Aleema’s driver had also been detained.
asserted
driver → inform → court
He requested the court to show leniency towards the driver, saying his family was deeply distressed.
asserted
family → request → driver
Justice Khan then sought reports from the provincial Home Department and said she would examine the matter after going through the reports.
asserted
she → seek → reports
The Aporia
