Amnesty International Condemns Arbitrary Detentions

Amnesty International has condemned the arbitrary detention of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's family and political party activists. The human rights organization calls the pre-emptive arrests a flagrant violation of the rights to liberty, freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.

Babu Ram Pant, Amnesty International's Deputy Regional Director for South Asia, issued the statement. He said the targeting of Khan's relatives and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party members speaks to the severity of current restrictions in Pakistan. The detentions come ahead of country-wide protests planned by the PTI for September 27.

Pre-emptive Arrests Before Protests

The organization reports that authorities began detaining individuals in the days leading up to the planned demonstrations. On September 20, Imran Khan's sister Aleema Khan was placed under a 30-day administrative detention order at Central Jail, Kot Lakhpat, Lahore. The order was issued under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960.

In the early hours of September 21, Khan's other two sisters, Noreen Niazi and Uzma Khan, were also taken into custody. His nieces and nephews, Sakeena Niazi, Shahrez Khan, and Shershah Khan, were detained as well. Amnesty International states that Noreen and Uzma Khan remain in administrative detention, while the others have been released. Noreen Niazi's daughter and son-in-law were also briefly detained on September 20.

Widespread Detention of PTI Members

The crackdown extended beyond Khan's immediate family. The PTI party reported that several of its members of parliament were detained. These include Sanaullah Mastikhel, Ahsan Jamal Khan, and Mian Ghous. Dozens of other party activists and workers were also taken into custody. PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja was briefly detained earlier in the week.

Amnesty International states that PTI workers across Punjab province are being detained. Some are reportedly being released only after signing affidavits pledging they will not participate in the September 27 protests.

Official Statements and Legal Context

Government officials have openly vowed to stop the planned protests. Pakistan's Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, has stated that no group will be allowed to enter Islamabad on September 27. He said the government would stop any march "in every possible way." Roadblocks are already being erected in the capital, Islamabad.

The Islamabad High Court has ruled that no political party has the right to occupy public roads, highways, or government buildings. This ruling came while the court was hearing a petition regarding the PTI's planned march.

Babu Ram Pant of Amnesty International criticized the government's approach. "A protest cannot be deemed violent before it has even started," he said. He called on Pakistan's authorities to uphold their obligations under international human rights law to facilitate peaceful assembly and refrain from unlawful measures.

Background on Imran Khan's Imprisonment

The PTI's march is planned to demand the release of Imran Khan and, while he remains detained, access to adequate healthcare and regular family and lawyer visits. Khan has been imprisoned in Adiala Jail for three years. He is currently serving a 14-year sentence related to corruption allegations and a separate 17-year sentence for a case involving state gifts.

Amnesty International is calling for the immediate release of Khan's relatives and the detained PTI workers. The organization states they have been targeted simply for their familial ties, political affiliation, and plans to protest. Babu Ram Pant warned that the authorities' long track record of reckless and unlawful use of force against protesters means these developments do not bode well.