LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday directed jail authorities to provide heart medication to Dr Uzma Khan, sister of PTI founder and former premier Imran Khan.
Imran’s three sisters, Aleema Khan, Noreen Niazi and Uzma, have been in detention for nearly three weeks under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance (MPO).
Uzma and Noreen were detained for 30 days on September 21, ahead of the party’s Sept 27 protest call, later postponed to October 4. The development came a day after Aleema’s detention on Sept 20.
On Monday, Justice Abher Gul Khan took up a petition challenging the preventive detention of Imran’s sisters. Sakeena Niazi, daughter of Noreen, had filed the petition on Oct 6.
During the hearing, Uzma’s husband, Ahad Khan, appeared before the court and stated that his wife had a heart condition and needed three medicines daily.
He asked the court to direct the authorities to ensure that the medicines were delivered to her in jail daily.
Petitioner’s counsel Rana Mudassar Umar requested the court to allow Noreen to receive clothes, medicines and spectacles in jail, saying these were basic necessities and her fundamental right.
He also sought permission for family members and lawyers to meet the detained women.
The counsel further requested the court to summon the Lahore Capital City Police Officer and the deputy commissioner in person, arguing that their appearance would help clarify the circumstances surrounding the detention notifications.
After hearing the arguments, the judge ordered the jail authorities to provide medicines to Uzma and reserved decision on the request to summon the officials in person.
In the previous hearing, the LHC sought a report on the provision of medicines, clothes and other basic facilities to the sisters and adjourned the hearing till October 12.
On Sept 24, the LHC had turned down a request to immediately suspend the preventive detention notifications issued against Noreen and Dr Uzma.
Earlier this month, Imran’s cousin, Qasim Zaman, was also taken into custody when he went to Adiala jail to meet the ex-prime minister.
The detention had come amid reports of a crackdown on the PTI ahead of its countrywide protest and march to Islamabad, which the party had called to demand Imran’s release from jail and mobilise people for the supremacy of the Constitution.