Dr Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi, two sisters of former prime minister Imran Khan, were released from Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail on Thursday.
Lawyer Mudassar Umar told Reuters that the two women were freed after the government suspended their detention orders. Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), said another sister, Aleema Khan, remained in custody.
Sources familiar with the backchannel contacts described the releases as the first concrete outcome of recent talks between PTI and the authorities. They said the sisters had assured intermediaries that they would refrain from criticising the military’s senior leadership or the establishment and avoid public remarks or political intervention that could heighten tensions.
According to the sources, the discussions marked the first time Khan’s family had participated directly. PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and government intermediaries based in Lahore helped move the talks forward.
Sources said Khan had adopted a more conciliatory tone during a prison meeting the day before the releases and appeared open to finding a way forward. They said he was more concerned about Bushra Bibi and his sisters than about his own situation.
People familiar with the talks said the family’s involvement and adherence to the reported assurances could allow further progress. PTI and the authorities have yet to publicly announce a formal agreement.
