Two sisters of jailed former Pakistan PM Imran Khan released from prison

LAHORE: Two sisters of jailed Pakistani former prime minister Imran Khan were released from prison in Lahore on Thursday, their lawyer and Khan's political party said.

Noreen Niazi and Uzma Khanum "were released from Kot Lakhpat at 2:00 pm (0900 GMT)", their advocate Rana Mudassar told AFP over the phone, explaining that the government had withdrawn their joint detention order, while a third sister, Aleema Khan, remained in prison.

Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party confirmed the release of the two sisters. But it said in a statement the move did not "erase the suffering inflicted on Imran Khan's family" and called for "no further persecution".

Khan, who served as premier from 2018 to 2022, has been behind bars since August 2023 and faces scores of charges ranging from corruption to treason following anti-establishment riots.

The 74-year-old former cricket star and his legal team reject the allegations, branding them as politically motivated cases aimed at neutralising his popularity.

Aleema, Uzma and Noreen were arrested and placed under 30-day detention orders in September after calls for protest by Khan's party which the government condemned as illegal.

Mudassar said lawyers had challenged a joint detention order for Noreen and Uzma Khan, which had been extended, but the authorities withdrew the order and released the pair ahead of a scheduled hearing.

He added that lawyers were also seeking the withdrawal of Aleema Khan's separate detention order.

In October, discontent over Khan's incarceration mounted with thousands protesting in the PTI's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa stronghold, particularly over his medical treatment and access to him by doctors and family.

The former prime minister briefly left prison overnight from Wednesday to Thursday for an eye examination and treatment before he was returned to Rawalpindi's central jail.

The Supreme Court ruled in August that Khan should be moved to a civilian hospital for treatment, but authorities instead returned him to prison after a short stay at a government-run hospital.

Once backed by the country's powerful military establishment during his rise to power, Khan fell out over key appointments and foreign policy issues before being ousted in a parliamentary vote of no confidence in 2022.

He has publicly accused the military leadership, including Army Chief General Asim Munir, of orchestrating his removal. The military denies meddling in politics.