• Scores of PTI supporters protest outside jail amid deployment of police, water cannons
• Aleema rues contempt of court by jail admin, vows to remain outside prison till permitted to meet brother
• Salman Akram Raja urges people to join protest, says party will not succumb to pressure

ISLAMABAD: After the authorities stopped them from meeting former prime minister Imran Khan, incarcerated in Adiala jail, the PTI chief’s sisters and his supporters staged a sit-in outside the prison amid heavy police presence.

This is the second time the jail authorities did not allow the sisters to visit their imprisoned brother this month — last Tuesday, after they were barred from visiting their sibling, they also staged a sit-in but the police dispersed them using water cannons after midnight.

Ahead of the scheduled visit, the authorities had barricaded roads leading to the prison, while the educational institutions, businesses, and petrol stations were also closed. A heavy contingent of the police was also present, while water cannons were also deployed to disperse protesters.

With Mr Khan’s sisters arrived a large number of PTI supporters. After the police told them that they did not have permission to let them meet Mr Khan, they started chanting slogans in favour of their leader and against the government for restricting their access to the former premier.

Reports suggested that Bushra Bibi’s daughter and her family members had also arrived outside the jail but they left the area after the visiting hours ended.

It may be noted that earlier this month, the government allowed Uzma Khan to meet her jailed brother, but following that meeting, the government imposed a ban on meetings between the PTI chief and his family members over purported violations of prison protocols.

Speaking to media persons on Tuesday, Aleema Khan said they had no option but to stage a protest in light of repeated violations of the Islamabad High Court orders.

“It is unfortunate that the contempt of court is being done on every Tuesday... Judges have become helpless and a slogan should be chanted to free the judges. We have been left with no option but to hold protests,” Aleema Khan, who was flanked by Noreen Khan and Uzma Khan, said.

Replying to a question about why the PTI was not willing to talk to the government, she said Imran Khan was demanding only three things and everyone knew about them. She alleged that the government wanted Imran Khan did not speak about the rule of law and constitutional supremacy.

“Instead you should ask the government why unemployment has been incre­asing. It is a fact that after the closure of the Afghan border, unemployment has further increased,” she said.

In response to a question about rumours regarding the possible relocation of the imprisoned PTI leader for security reasons, she retorted did it mean that the Punjab government had failed to provide security to the PTI leader.

Aleema Khan also clarified that her brother’s remarks concerned Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir, not the entire institution.

She said that they had only one demand i.e. meeting with Imran Khan and they would only leave after meeting the former premier.

If the jail administration did not allow them to meet Mr Khan, they should sit outside the prison indefinitely.

This time, they brought blankets as well, she said.

Referring to her sister Uzma’s brief meeting with Mr Khan on December 2 and the government’s claim of “political conversations” that violated jail rules, Aleema urged the government to tell the family what was discussed.

“Tell me what political matters my sister discussed in the last meeting. Political topics should be discussed with the people of the party,” she said.

Noreen Khan, another sister, said that it was unfortunate that peaceful protesters were tortured last time and were treated like terrorists.

She said that it was their right to protest but a number of peaceful protesters were injured in the police action. She added that they would “do whatever is necessary to free Imran Khan” and maintained that he was unlawfully imprisoned.

Meanwhile, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said that the general public, along with legislators, reached outside the jail to express solidarity and give a message that they stood with democracy.

“We are calling out to the entire nation. We do not want to carry on this drama for a day or two that would leave people dead and Imran Khan in jail,” said Mr Raja.

“We will not come under any kind of pressure. The people whom Imran Khan has given the authority to call for protests (Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan leaders Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Nasir Abbas) are sensible and don’t want to make such a mistake,” he said.

He added that people’s consciences need to be shaken to ensure Imran’s release and said that the moment would come when hundreds of thousands of people would take to the streets.

Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Moeen Qureshi, along with a group of PTI workers, was also present outside the jail to join the protest.

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2025