Imran Khan's sisters 'on hunger strike for two days', cousin claims
Cousin Qasim Zaman says Aleema Khan, Dr Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi have refused food for 48 hours at Kot Lakhpat Jail, the first family confirmation of circulating reports; jail authorities deny the allegations.
The detained sisters of former prime minister Imran Khan have been on a hunger strike for the last 48 hours, according to their cousin Qasim Zaman — the first time a family member has confirmed reports that had been circulating for days.
Speaking to Dawn outside Adiala Jail on Tuesday, Qasim Zaman said Aleema Khan, Dr Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi began refusing food after alleged misbehaviour by jail staff during their detention at Kot Lakhpat Jail. Zaman had travelled to Adiala Jail to meet Imran Khan but was turned away, as were interim PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Khan’s lawyers.
PTI lawyer Awais Younas Chaudhry told Dawn the legal team waited from 2pm to 4:30pm without being allowed a meeting, saying it was “tragic that the jail administration has been violating orders of the Islamabad High Court and Supreme Court of Pakistan but courts appear to be helpless”.
Speaking separately near the Factory checkpoint on Adiala Road, Zaman told the Express Tribune that essential items had not been provided to the sisters despite a Lahore High Court order. He said a judge had ordered authorities on Monday to provide the items, but since then neither family meetings nor the items had been delivered. He added that the sisters returned food items after staff allegedly behaved rudely, and that he had informed PTI leader Moin Qureshi about the hunger strike.
The Punjab government countered the claims in the Lahore High Court the previous day, submitting a jail report saying Aleema Khan had been provided a bedsheet, blanket, shoes, clothes, towel, face wash, toothbrush, skincare kit and shawl, after which the court disposed of the matter and directed the home secretary to decide the family-meeting issue under law.
The sisters are being held at Kot Lakhpat Jail, and the Lahore High Court has been hearing the family’s petitions over basic facilities and family access.
Sources
- https://www.dawn.com/news/2033644 — Dawn (Sept 30, 2026)
- https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632159/imrans-detained-sisters-on-48-hour-hunger-strike — Express Tribune (Rawalpindi)
- Counterpoint: https://www.urdupoint.com/en/pakistan/imran-khan-sisters-hunger-strike-kot-lakhpat-jail-2262586.html — UrduPoint (Sept 29): Punjab government submission to Lahore High Court
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