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

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

The weekly protest followed 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 via the Chakri Interchange on the motorway and arrived at the Gorakhpur checkpoint, where police deployed in large numbers stopped their vehicle and blocked the road by placing a dumper. Led by Aleema Khan, the sisters and PTI workers then proceeded on foot towards Adiala Jail.

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

Senior PTI leaders from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, including provincial president Junaid Akbar, Mushtaq Ghani and K-P government spokesperson Shafiullah Jan, arrived at the site and joined the sit-in to express solidarity.

Speaking to the media, Aleema said that every Tuesday they were stopped from meeting the PTI founder, alleging that authorities were fearful of him and were violating the Constitution and the law. She claimed that both the PTI founder and Bushra Bibi were being kept in solitary confinement and subjected to mental torture.

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

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

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

Speaking to the media near the Dahgal checkpoint close to Adiala Jail, Barrister Gohar said it did not appear likely that meetings would be allowed that day, but stressed that they should take place. He said the country’s problems were increasing and that the public should be informed about the PTI founder’s health, adding that no politics should be played over family visits.

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

He said that discussions between the government and PTI are reportedly underway, with Aleema having expressed her stance on the matter. The PTI founder has reportedly mandated that only Mahmood Achakzai and Allama Nasir Abbas are authorized to conduct negotiations. However, if Aleema maintains that no one else holds this authority, it could indicate that a different message has been received.

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

Late at night, the SHO of Sadar Bairuni police station reportedly held talks with PTI leadership to persuade them to end the protest and reopen Adiala Road. However, the situation remained tense as negotiations over reopening the road and allowing meetings continued.