August 22, 2025
Aitzaz Ibrahim
LAHORE
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership has claimed that Sher Shah, the younger son of Aleema Khan, sister of former prime minister Imran Khan, has been taken into custody. The claim surfaced on social media through senior PTI leaders, although police have not yet confirmed the arrest.
According to PTI, Sher Shah’s detention comes a day after the arrest of his elder brother, Shahrez Khan, who was taken into custody on Thursday night from Aleema Khan’s residence in Zaman Park in connection with the May 9 cases. Shahrez was produced before an anti-terrorism court in Lahore on Friday, which granted eight days of physical remand after rejecting the police request for a one-month remand.
In a statement on social media platform X, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan strongly condemned the alleged detention of Sher Shah. He said that members of Imran Khan’s family were being targeted to create political tension. “On Thursday night, former prime minister Imran Khan’s sister’s son Shahrez was arrested, and today her other son Sher Shah has also been taken into custody. Such actions are increasing political tensions,” he stated.
Barrister Gohar added, “When we are trying to reduce tensions, arrests are initiated again. On one hand, disqualifications are being carried out and arrest warrants are being issued, while on the other, meetings with Imran Khan’s family and legal team are being obstructed.”
During Friday’s proceedings, the Lahore anti-terrorism court heard the case against Shahrez Khan in relation to the May 9, 2023 attack on Jinnah House. Presiding Judge Manzar Ali Gul rejected the police request for a 30-day remand and instead approved an eight-day physical remand. During the hearing, the judge asked, “Who is this accused, is he nominated in the case?” The prosecution responded that Shahrez had been named in a supplementary statement in the May 9 arson case at Jinnah House, and his custody was needed for recovery.
Defense counsel Salman Akram Raja opposed the remand request, arguing that nearly 23 months had passed before authorities suddenly decided to arrest Shahrez. “There were no warrants, and he was taken from his home. He has traveled in and out of the country several times in the past 27 months, yet no arrest was made earlier. Suddenly, they remembered now that he is required,” Raja said.
Aliema Khan, speaking to media outside the court, also expressed concern over the arrest of her son. She stated that for 27 months Shahrez lived in Lahore without being summoned even once, while hundreds of others faced trial in May 9-related cases. “Yesterday, suddenly, we were told that Shahrez is also wanted in this case. This came right after Imran Khan was granted bail in eight cases by the Supreme Court. As a reaction, they came to my house last night and took away my son,” she alleged. She further said Shahrez’s focus had been on representing Pakistan and business activities, and that he had no connection with politics.
Earlier, PTI had alleged that plain-clothed men forcefully entered Aliema Khan’s residence near Zaman Park, assaulted Shahrez Khan, and took him away. Later, Lahore police confirmed his arrest in connection with the May 9 cases.
It may be recalled that another nephew of Imran Khan, lawyer Hassaan Khan Niazi, is already in custody. In December last year, a military court sentenced him to 10 years in prison over his involvement in the May 9 incidents.