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‘They are cowards’: Aleema Khan spoke exclusively to News18 about the pressure tactics, her brother Imran Khan’s bail and son Shahrez’s arrest
Imran Khan and his sister Aleema Khan. File image/X
As the Pakistan Supreme Court granted bail to former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan in the May 9, 2023 violence conspiracy, his nephew, Shahrez Khan, was allegedly abducted and arrested from his Lahore residence by armed men, according to the PTI.
Shahrez is the son of Khan’s sister Aleema Khan, whose house was also vandalised in the late-night operation. Lahore’s Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Manzar Gul has handed over eight-day physical remand of Shahrez to the police.
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Aleema spoke exclusively to News18 about the pressure tactics, her brother Imran Khan’s bail and son Shahrez’s arrest.
Aleema Bibi’s home in Lahore has been attacked by men in plain clothes. Her son Shahrez has been abducted, the family harassed and the staff has been beaten up.— salman akram raja (@salmanAraja) August 21, 2025
Shahrez Khan’s arrest a cowardly move: Aleema Khan
“My son participates in triathlons and also runs the textile business, for which he travels a lot. He is disengaged from any other activity. He represents Pakistan in triathlons. He was travelling for a triathlon event to Estonia. Even I didn’t know. We were in Islamabad and busy with the SC. We didn’t find out till they abducted him and his wife. They abducted him at the airport for several hours and then let him go. Then they raided and picked him up. They just want to create fear. To raid the house, beat up the staff, they went upstairs, snatched my daughter-in-law’s phones. He was sitting with my granddaughters, who is aged 1.5 years and 5-6 years,” said Aleema.
Sources told CNN-News18 that the attackers appeared to be in plain clothes but were wearing bulletproof jackets and moved in a coordinated manner, resembling trained military personnel.
CCTV footage purportedly shows the attackers forcefully entering the house and breaking into Shahrez’s bedroom. House staff were reportedly beaten up, and the family was subjected to harassment. PTI has alleged that the abduction came just a day after Shahrez and his wife were illegally offloaded from a flight at Lahore airport. “Shahrez Khan has no connection to any political activity,” a PTI spokesperson said, demanding that the Chief Justice of Pakistan take immediate notice and ensure his safe recovery. Sohail Khan, father of Shahrez, confirmed the abduction. “Five armed, masked men with guns stormed into the house and took my son Shahrez away,” he said. In a late-night statement, DIG Operations Lahore Police confirmed that Shahrez Khan had been arrested in connection with investigations into the May 9 violence and would be presented in court. “Strict legal action is underway against those involved in the May 9 incidents,” the DIG said, adding that no concession would be made for anti-state activity.
“After 2.5 years, they have just suddenly realised that he is also involved. Basically they are cowards. They don’t know what to do. It is an insult to fear cowards. They are scared. What a stupid thing to do, the day Imran Khan gets a bail…,” said Aleema Khan.
Asim Munir and Imran Khan: What Aseema Khan said
When asked if Army chief Asim Munir was behind this, she said, “In Pakistan, it is Asim law, Imran Khan said this even from jail. Everyone knows this. He wants to create fear. Munir is fearful, that is reflecting…A man with little children celebrating Imran Khan’s bail was picked up bail…Imran Khan called it the darkest hour before the dawn. He says that you should not get worried.
“My sister is in jail, I have gone to jail…In Pakistan, people don’t have fear that much. Once you abuse people so much, it goes away. They are now fearing people’s anger. People are always with us,” she said.
“Imran Khan’s movement will continue. They have restricted his access in the past few months. My sisters and even lawyer haven’t been allowed. Rumours are he is breaking. They just want to say they have broken him…They have deprived him of books…In solitary confinement, four days is the maximum limit. Khan has been there for months,” said Aleema Khan.
“They want him to apologise for May 9. Khan says people who did it should apologise, they have taken away the CCTV footage. On May 9, Khan was in prison. They have 10,000 people…The bail that Khan got was for conspiracy for May 9, because he was in prison on the day. The case was so stupid. It would have been suicidal for a judge to listen to the ridiculous arguments from the prosecution and not give bail. The Supreme Court gave him bail. In court, the prosecution was an embarrassment. Their argument was two policemen were hiding and listening. The chief justice had to give bail,” she said.
About the Author
Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18
Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18
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