RAWALPINDI: PTI on Tuesday accused police of using force and detaining party workers near Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, where former Prime Minister Imran Khan has been imprisoned since September 2023.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) had authorized twice-weekly visits for Imran with family, lawyers, and associates, but these have reportedly not been allowed for weeks, including for his sisters and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi.
Protests and sit-ins outside the jail on Tuesdays and Thursdays have become routine. Today, Imran’s sisters and supporters staged a sit-in at Factory Naka, a police picket near the prison. PTI claimed police used violence to disperse protesters and arrested several party workers, including lawmaker Mehar Abdul Sattar. Videos shared on social media showed Aleema Khanum, one of Imran’s sisters, surrounded by supporters while police moved in.
Aleema demanded a meeting with Imran and immediate medical treatment for his eye at Al-Shifa Hospital, highlighting concerns after reports that Imran was secretly taken to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for a “20-minute” procedure on January 24. She criticized the lack of family notification and demanded that future medical check-ups be conducted in the presence of his personal physician, Dr. Aasim Yusuf.
Meanwhile, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja announced plans to file another contempt of court petition at the IHC against Adiala jail authorities for repeatedly denying court-ordered meetings with Imran. Raja said this would be the “sixth contempt petition” on the matter.
Raja condemned the restrictions as politically motivated attempts to “silence the former premier and control the political narrative.” He accused authorities of creating fear among the public, undermining democratic norms, and sending a message that citizens’ votes and voices hold no value.
“The founder of PTI is the biggest leader in the country, and today they are scared and terrified. Their aim is to silence the voice of the founder of PTI,” Raja said.
The sit-in ended with Aleema signing anti-terrorism court warrants issued against her, while PTI vowed to continue legal and political pressure to ensure Imran’s rights and access to medical care.
