On 30 October 2026, Pakistan Tehreek‑e‑Insaf (PTI) Secretary‑General Salman Akram Raja spoke to the media in Lahore. He warned that the loss of hope for justice in the country is tantamount to the death of society itself and called for the abolition of Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Act, a law inherited from the British colonial era that allows a person to be arrested up to three times for 30 days each on suspicion of disturbing public order. Raja said that the arrests of political workers and the treatment of Imran Khan’s family were part of a broader pattern of hardship affecting thousands of families across Pakistan. He noted that many children have been imprisoned, allegedly subjected to torture, and denied a fair chance at justice. In a separate statement, PTI expressed anger over the circumstances surrounding the sudden deterioration in the health of Imran Khan’s sister, Noreen Niazi. According to the party’s spokesperson and legal team, Niazi suffered severe heart pain and was transferred to a hospital for treatment. PTI alleged that police had taken stringent measures at the hospital, locking the entrances to the intensive care unit and ward and preventing family members from accessing her. The party also claimed that no verified or satisfactory information about her health was being provided. PTI described the situation as an unprecedented level of oppression, coercion and moral degradation. The party further alleged that non‑political sisters of national leaders have previously been imprisoned for extended periods without substantial offence, and that even while one of them was bedridden due to serious illness, she was subjected to inhumane treatment. The party’s statements highlight concerns about the use of colonial‑era laws and the treatment of political opponents and their families in Pakistan.
Article source: Urdu Point | Image credit: Urdu Point