LAHORE; Lahore police on Friday confirmed the arrest of two sons of Aleema Khan, sister of PTI founder Imran Khan, in connection with the May 9 riots, with one of them, Shahrez Khan, sent on eight-day physical remand by a Lahore anti-terrorism court (ATC).
According to police, Shershah Khan was taken into custody from his Lahore residence today, a day after his brother Shahrez Khan was arrested in a related case. Aleema’s lawyer, Advocate Rana Mudassir Umar, said Shershah was picked up after attending court proceedings regarding his brother’s case.
PTI condemned the arrests, terming them “abductions,” and accused authorities of replacing “the rule of law with the law of the jungle.” Aleema Khan, in a post on social media, alleged police harassment and vowed that such tactics would not deter the party from delivering Imran Khan’s message.
At the same time, Shahrez was produced before an ATC in Lahore, where the investigating officer sought a 30-day remand. However, the court granted eight days instead, directing police to present him at the next hearing.
Shahrez’s counsel, PTI leader Salman Akram Raja, called the arrest “false and vindictive,” claiming his client was not even present in Lahore during the May 9 riots. He alleged the move was “a reaction to the Supreme Court’s approval of Imran Khan’s bail petitions” earlier this week.
Thousands of PTI workers were arrested following the violent protests on May 9, 2023, which saw attacks on military installations, government buildings, and the Lahore corps commander’s residence.
