Imran Khan’s sisters stage sit-in again after being denied meeting in jail

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan’s sisters were again denied permission to meet the former prime minister at Adiala Jail on Tuesday, sparking a sit-in protest that led to the blocking of parts of Adiala Road.

The weekly protest followed the prison authorities’ refusal to allow meetings between the PTI founder and his sisters (Aleema Khan, Dr Uzma Khan and Noreen Khan), as well as party leaders and other family members. The sisters were also scheduled to meet Bushra Bibi.

The sisters reached the area through Chakri junction on the highway and reached Gorakhpur check post where police deployed in large numbers stopped their vehicle and blocked the road by placing a dump truck. Led by Aleema Khan, the sisters and PTI workers advanced on foot towards Adiala Jail.

At the Factory check post on Adiala Road, police put up iron barricades and completely sealed the road, preventing further movement. Around 3:30 pm, Aleema announced a sit-in at Adiala Road over the denial of permission to meet the PTI founder. Party workers joined the protest, chanting slogans while sitting on the street.

Senior PTI leaders from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, including provincial president Junaid Akbar, Mushtaq Ghani and KP government spokesperson Shafiullah Jan, reached the scene and joined the sit-in to express solidarity.

Speaking to the media, Aleema said that they were prevented from meeting the PTI founder every Tuesday, claiming that the authorities were afraid of him and were violating the Constitution and the law. He claimed that both the PTI founder and Bushra Bibi were being held in solitary confinement and subjected to mental torture.

Pointing to the barricades, he asked why officials could not explain the reason for his isolation, despite being the country’s most popular leader.

Aleema further said that the PTI founder had already conveyed a message to prepare for the protests, adding that once that message was issued, anyone talking about negotiations would not represent the party. She alleged that whenever the PTI founder called for protests, those with what she described as a “stolen mandate” immediately started talking about negotiations.

Meanwhile, PTI Chairman Advocate Gohar Ali Khan urged the government to comply with court orders regarding jail gatherings.

Speaking to the media near the Dahgal checkpoint near Adiala Jail, lawyer Gohar said it did not seem likely that gatherings would be allowed on that day, but stressed that they should take place. He said the country’s problems are increasing and the public should be informed about the PTI founder’s health, adding that politics should not be played with regard to family visits.

He also said Bushra Bibi’s family should be allowed to meet her and criticized the decision to block prison meetings, warning that such actions were pushing the situation towards greater hostility. He urged the government to comply with court orders regarding prison gatherings.

He said talks are reportedly going on between the government and the PTI and Aleema expressed her stance on the matter. The PTI founder has reportedly ordered that only Mahmood Achakzai and Allama Nasir Abbas be allowed to conduct negotiations. However, if Aleema maintains that no one else has this authority, it could indicate that a different message has been received.

The sit-in continued late into the night, causing serious inconvenience to residents in the area. With the main road closed, travelers were forced to walk long distances.

Late in the night, the SHO of Sadar Bairuni police station reportedly held talks with the PTI leaders to persuade them to end the protest and reopen Adiala Road. However, the situation remained tense as negotiations continued to reopen the road and allow gatherings.