Amnesty International on Wednesday condemned the “repeated” use of high-pressure water cannons by authorities to disperse a sit-in outside Adiala prison in Rawalpindi, after incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan’s family was denied a meeting with the former prime minister.

“The repeated use of high-pressure water cannons by authorities against peaceful protesters outside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi is a flagrant violation of their right to peaceful assembly.”

Amnesty added that Pakistan authorities “must respect people’s right to peacefully protest and end the disproportionate and punitive use of force”.

After authorities again barred Imran’s sisters from meeting the incarcerated former prime minister, a sit-in was staged outside the prison.

A court order issued by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on March 24 this year mandated that meetings with Imran would be permitted twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. However, the PTI maintains that the order is not being honoured.

Despite the IHC’s order, Imran’s sisters — Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan and Noreen Khan Niazi — along with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, have tried and failed to meet Imran over the past several weeks. Last Tuesday, after being denied a meeting with the PTI chief, his sisters and party supporters staged a sit-in, which was later dispersed with water cannons.

Early on Wednesday, water cannons were again used to disperse the protesters, with police starting their operation at 2 am. Initially, water cannon vehicles were used to disperse the protesters, with police later baton-charging those who remained.

Some of the party workers were arrested, but the number could not be confirmed.

Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) leader Allama Raja Nasir, who remained at the protest until late Tuesday night, condemned the inhuman treatment meted out to the protesters.