Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Friday said that “the gloves are off” and that anyone protesting outside Adiala jail, where PTI founder Imran Khan is currently incarcerated, will be dealt with harshly.

In a blistering press conference earlier today, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry assailed Imran for creating and spreading an “anti-army” rhetoric.

Separately, PTI figures, in recent days, have staged demonstrations outside the prison. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi had staged a sit-in outside the prison after he was barred from meeting Imran for the eighth time, while Imran’s sisters also staged sit-ins on multiple occasions after they were barred from meeting the former premier.

Speaking on Geo News programme ‘Naya Pakistan’, the minister said that strict action would be taken against any individual who creates a law and order situation outside the prison, including arrests and the registration of legal cases.

“If anyone tries to create a law and order situation outside the jail, they will be dealt with very harshly. The gloves are off,” Tarar emphasised.

He added that during her recent visit, Uzma violated jail rules and the law when she discussed politics with Imran, thus she would not be allowed any more meetings with the ex-premier.

“Meetings happen in accordance with the law and jail rules,” he said, adding that the jail superintendent reported this. “It is written in the jail manual that well-being and legal matters can be discussed, but not politics. She violated these rules, and she has been barred from meetings.”

The minister added that when Uzma emerged from the meeting, she said Imran “was angry and frustrated”.

“It means that he cannot find a way out of the punishment for the mega corruption £190 million case and sees no political future for himself,” Tarar said.

“We truly believe he is a mentally ill man,” he added.

When asked about the Inter-Services Public Relations director general’s press conference earlier today, Tarar said he endorsed every word on behalf of the civilian government and stated that Imran is a threat to the country.

“This person’s party prayed for the country to come to the brink of default and wrote to the IMF declining a bailout without thinking about the effect on citizens, the chaos, or the economy,” he said.

The information minister reiterated that on May 9, PTI supporters staged riots nationwide and destroyed state property, including monuments to martyred soldiers.

A day prior, the federal government ruled out any further meetings for Uzma and others who violated the prison code while meeting the PTI founder.

Addressing a press conference with Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar on the entire situation, the information minister announced: “There is no room in the [prison] rules for political discussions and it was reported that political discussions occurred, so meetings are now banned for Uzma Khan. This won’t happen.”

He added that reports of incitement against the state and its officials had surfaced. “Meetings are banned for anyone who violates the rules,” Attaullah said, adding that it was not right for people to hold meetings and then go on to peddle “Indian and Afghan stances and orchestrate posts against the army and the army chief”.