LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday turned down a request to immediately suspend the preventive detention notifications issued against Noreen Niazi and Dr Uzma Khan, sisters of PTI founder Imran Khan.

Uzma and Noreen were taken into custody on Monday for 30 days under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance 1960 (MPO) just a day after their sister Aleema Khan was detained. The arrests of Imran’s sisters and other party leaders come ahead of the PTI’s Sept 27 countrywide protest and march to Islamabad.

On Thursday, Justice Abher Gul Khan took up a petition challenging Uzma and Noreen’s detention, filed by the latter’s daughter Sakeena Niazi.

Appearing as their counsel, Barrister Taimur Malik and Advocate Rana Mudassir argued that both women were “nonpolitical” and had been detained despite having no justification for their detention.

They informed the court that Uzma had already been acquitted in a case registered against her, and a copy of the trial court’s decision declaring her innocent was on the case record.

The lawyers also presented copies of two orders recently passed by the LHC’s Multan bench setting aside preventive detention of as many persons affiliated with PTI.

The counsel requested the court to immediately suspend the detention notifications for Uzma and Noreen.

Justice Abher, however, said the court would first seek a report from the relevant parties and hear their position before deciding the request for suspension.

The court then issued notices to the respondents and sought their replies on the petition.

The respondents included the Lahore deputy commissioner (DC) and capital city police officer (CCPO), the Home Department secretary, and the Kot Lakhpat jail superintendent.

Hearing a petition against the detention of Aleema and her driver on Tuesday, Justice Abher had sought arguments on the plea’s maintainability. The court is set to resume the hearing on Thursday.

In the capital, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had summoned the senior superintendent of police (operations) to appear on Thursday in a petition concerning alleged harassment of PTI leaders and raids on their homes.

IG warns against violating law

Separately, Punjab Inspector General (IG) Rao Abdul Kareem warned that anyone violating the law on Sept 27 would be dealt with strictly.

The Punjab government has already imposed a ban on gatherings across the province for 13 days and prohibited inciting people to unlawful assembly. A similar ban under Section 144 has been enforced in Islamabad too.

It has also requested deployment of Rangers in Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum and Mianwali districts until Oct 5, as well as sought downgrade of mobile and internet services at specific locations in Rawalpindi and Attock on Sept 27.

Speaking to reporters after appearing before the LHC on Thursday, IG Kareem said he wanted to convey a clear message that no one would be allowed to take the law into their hands.

Responding to a query, he said permission was required for holding a peaceful protest and pointed out that restrictions under Section 144 were currently imposed in the province.

Asked whether any application had been submitted seeking permission for a protest, the police chief said he was not aware of any such request and that the DC concerned could better answer the question.

The Punjab IG maintained that no one would be subjected to discriminatory treatment and that citizens would be dealt with without distinction as per the law.

The PTI has called for a nationwide protest on Sept 27 to demand Imran’s release from jail and mobilise people for the supremacy of the Constitution.

The government has warned against marching towards the federal capital or blocking roads there, with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi cautioning PTI “not to enter a dead-end street” and hinting at a “permanent solution” to such protests.

Hearing a plea against the march, the IHC on September 14 ruled that no political party or its leadership has the “lawful right to occupy public roads, highways, interchanges, toll plazas and buildings in Islamabad”.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Sunday contended that strikes, sit-ins, long marches and road closures could cause an estimated Rs120 billion loss to the economy each day.

Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), which had launched a march towards Islamabad against the petroleum levy, postponed the move at the request of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, pending a meeting with him.