Three of Imran Khan's sisters detained in Lahore before release march

Imran Khan’s family announced that three of his sisters have been detained by police in Lahore as the former prime minister’s supporters prepare for a nationwide march calling for his release. The detentions were reported early on Saturday, hours before the scheduled protest, which is being organized by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to demand Khan’s freedom following his recent arrest on corruption charges. According to the family, the sisters were taken at their residence in the city’s Model Town area and are being held on unspecified grounds.

Authorities have not provided an official statement regarding the arrests, and legal representatives for the Khan family have urged the courts to intervene. The march, expected to draw tens of thousands of participants in Lahore and other major cities, comes amid heightened political tension and a series of legal challenges faced by Khan since his ouster in 2022. Observers note that the detention of close relatives could further inflame public sentiment ahead of the demonstration, which aims to pressure the government to overturn the former prime minister’s imprisonment.