Journalists Hamid Mir and Asma Shirazi have questioned the arrests and detentions of women affiliated with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), asking why political disputes are once again involving women from rival political families.
Speaking to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) member Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Mir recalled the arrests of women from the PPP during General Zia-ul-Haq’s regime and Faryal Talpur’s arrest during Imran Khan’s tenure.
Mir noted that several PTI women, including former minister Dr Yasmin Rashid, Sanam Javed, Falak Javed and former Member of National Assembly (MNA) Alia Hamza, were also in detention.
“Don’t you think that the exact same thing is happening that used to happen to the women of your party during General Zia’s era and you should condemn this?”
He also pointed to the detention of Imran Khan’s sisters and wife Bushra Bibi, asking whether the PPP considered the treatment of PTI women similar to what its own female leaders had faced under other governments.
Mir said that the issue was particularly difficult to discuss in the case of Aliya Hamza, recalling that she had previously presented a resolution in the National Assembly (NA) seeking treason charges against him.
Shirazi raised similar questions while speaking to Barrister Aqeel Malik, recalling the PPP’s response when Maryam Nawaz was arrested.
“When Maryam Nawaz was arrested, you used to deliver speeches. We also saw Bilawal Bhutto Sahib’s speech, we saw yours. So, have your attitudes changed now? Are those women not women anymore? Are Imran Khan’s sisters not worthy of respect? Why has the issue come down to women?” Shirazi asked.
She then questioned Malik over the detention of Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khan and whether she could have been placed under house arrest instead of being sent to Kot Lakhpat Jail for 30 days.
“Could you not have house-arrested them? Taking them to Kot Lakhpat, detaining them for 30 days, you are all doing the exact same things that were done to you, or perhaps even going beyond that,” Shirazi said.
The reactions came after Aleema Khan was detained for 30 days under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance in Lahore on September 20. Her sisters Dr Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi were also detained for 30 days under the same law the following day.
The detentions came ahead of PTI’s planned September 27 protest and march towards Islamabad.
The detention orders cited concerns related to public safety and maintenance of public order, while the orders for Uzma and Noreen also referred to allegations that they had mobilised workers through social media and public meetings.
