Imran Khan’s sisters return to Adiala jail for sit-in after meeting with PTI founder again denied

A week after the Rawalpindi police detained the sisters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, the prolonged sit-in on Adiala Road ended on Wednesday after successful negotiations between the police and protesters. The founder’s three sisters, along with party leaders and workers, organized the protest after they were denied permission to meet Imran Khan at Adiala Jail.

On Tuesday, several PTI leaders, including Aleema Khan, Dr Uzma, Noreen Khan, lawyer Gohar Ali Khan, Salman Akram Raja and Sheikh Waqas Akram, were detained by the police when they tried to reach the jail. The sisters were held at the Factory checkpoint, while other leaders were blocked at the Dahgal checkpoint.

During the sit-in, participants demanded that the meeting be allowed, chanted slogans and attempted to march towards the prison, although the police prevented any progress. Members of the National and Provincial Assembly, along with party workers, had united in solidarity.

Read: Adiala jail denies that PTI founder managed account X from prison

The negotiations were facilitated with the participation of Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, Salman Akram Raja and Shahid Khatak, among others, leading to a peaceful resolution. After talks, the founder’s sisters and party leaders ended the sit-in and left the factory checkpoint, returning peacefully after assurances from the authorities.

During the protest, Aleema had told the media that the sit-in would continue until the meeting was granted, condemning the isolation of the PTI founder as “illegal and unconstitutional” and criticizing policewomen for following illegal orders. Noreen echoed these concerns and said that the family continued to be unaware of Imran Khan’s current health condition and that even a brief meeting had been unfairly denied to him.

Other leaders including Meena Khan, Sheharyar Afridi and Mushtaq Ghani also joined the rally. Participants demanded respect for legal and constitutional rights, highlighting their determination to continue with the sit-in despite the police’s efforts to block it.

Lawyer Salman Akram Raja promised to respect the principles and sisters of the PTI founder. “We defend the principles, we support the sisters and we will continue to support them. We face armed forces, but we are unarmed with the strength of principles, and history is witness that principles ultimately prevail,” he said.

He added that the people will ensure the release of Imran Khan and emphasized that it is the public who must decide whether the rule of the Constitution or the rule of brutality will prevail in the country.

Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ain Pakistan Vice President Allama Raja Nasir Abbas also warned against testing the patience of the Pakistani nation, adding that if all roads were blocked, the people would rise up in revolution. “When people come out, you will beg to be reunited with Khan Sahab, but no one will listen to you. They will just tell you to leave,” he said.