‘No contact, no update’: Imran Khan’s son says father silent for 6 months, aunts remain ‘abducted’

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan’s son Kasim Khan has claimed that his three aunts remain “abducted” by Pakistani authorities, saying their family and lawyers have received no information about their condition or the reasons for their detention. He also said he and his brother have had no contact with their father for more than six months.Kasim Khan made the remarks on Thursday, weeks after his aunts Aleema Khan, Noreen Niazi and Uzma Khan were detained for 30 days ahead of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) planned September 27 protest and march to Islamabad.The demonstrations were called to demand updates on Imran Khan's health and his release from Adiala Jail, where the former prime minister has been incarcerated since August 2023.In a post on X, Kasim Khan linked the continued detention of his aunts with the lack of contact with his father."Currently, my Aunties are still abducted. Family and lawyers have received no update on how they are, nor why they are incarcerated. Concerning my father, there is complete silence. My brother and I have had no contact with him for more than six months. We do not even know the true state of his health," the post read.Kasim says protests will continueKasim Khan also referred to protests being held in Pakistan over his father's imprisonment, saying people were continuing to demand justice and the right to be heard."Meanwhile, thousands of Pakistanis are peacefully taking to the streets to protest against his illegal and politically motivated imprisonment. However, the people of Pakistan have not given up. No barricade, intimidation or repression can muzzle the people’s demand for justice and their democratic right to be heard. There can be no lasting peace or stability while their democratic will is suppressed and their chosen leader remains behind bars,” Kasim Khan added.His remarks came a day after the families of the three detained sisters approached the Lahore High Court seeking permission for relatives and lawyers to meet them.According to Dawn, Advocate Rana Mudassar Umar filed two civil miscellaneous applications in pending writ petitions on behalf of Shah Raiz Khan, son of Aleema Khan, and Sakeena Niazi, daughter of Noreen Niazi.The pleas challenged the denial of meetings between the detained women and their family members and lawyers, and also raised the issue of access to medicines.The families have alleged that neither relatives nor legal counsel have been permitted to meet the three women or provide them with medicines. The applications stated that medicines had been provided to the sisters on only one occasion and that no one had subsequently been allowed to meet them, Dawn reported.The pleas have sought directions from the Lahore High Court allowing family members and lawyers to meet the detained women and provide them with medicines, according to Dawn.Sisters detained ahead of PTI protestAleema Khan, Noreen Niazi and Uzma Khan were detained for 30 days ahead of PTI's September 27 protest call.The detentions came amid a crackdown on the PTI ahead of its planned countrywide demonstrations and march to Islamabad. The party had called for the protests to demand Imran Khan's release and mobilise support for the supremacy of the Constitution.On September 24, the Lahore High Court had declined a request to immediately suspend notifications ordering the preventive detention of the three sisters.Imran Khan has been in Adiala Jail since August 2023. His detention and the PTI's protests have remained at the centre of a wider political confrontation in Pakistan, with the party continuing to demand his release.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.