ISLAMABAD: PTI founder Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khan and PTI workers ended their sit-in at Rawalpindi’s Factory Naka on Tuesday, hours after they were again barred from moving towards Adiala jail in a bid to meet the incarcerated ex-premier.

The PTI founder’s sisters left Factory Naka and headed towards Gorakhpur, further along Adiala Road, on foot.

At around 9pm, the Saddar Police SHO had arrived at the protest site and began negotiations with PTI’s Shaukat Basra and Meena Khan Afridi. After initial talks, the PTI leaders reached out to Imran’s sisters for consultation.

Police had installed a riot fence near the Factory Naka in Rawalpindi, and upon reaching the spot, Imran’s sister, along with party workers, staged a sit-in.

Police hold talks with Shaukat Basra, Meena Khan Afridi after barring PTI supporters from moving towards Adiala

Over the past several weeks, the PTI founder has been denied meetings in prison with his family, party members and lawyers, prompting them to stage sit-ins near or outside the prison complex every Tuesday and Thursday — the court-mandated days for visiting Imran. At times, police also used water cannons and baton charges to disperse them.

On Monday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said meetings with incarcerated Mr Khan would remain suspended till Feb 8.

Earlier, a PTI livestream showed crowds of party supporters marching towards the prison on Adiala Road, before being stopped in front of the riot fence, where they chanted slogans and waved Pakistani and PTI flags.

On the occasion, Aleema said that Imran was being kept in “solitary confinement”, stressing that the “government had become so fearful of Imran’s message that they had resorted to breaking the law” — in a reference to the police presence at the scene.

Speaking to reporters, Aleema said that the authorities are afraid of Imran, which is why they have jailed him.

Asked about the statement issued after the TTAP’s two-day conference, she said it “was not a statement”.

“The PTI people are saying they want to negotiate (with the government), I responded by saying that Imran Khan has instructed Sohail Afridi to take to the streets and lead a movement,” she said.

She said that last message came from lawyer Salman Safdar, who represented the PTI founder when he was convicted in the Toshakhana-II case.

“Whoever says that we should negotiate with the government after Imran gave these instructions, they cannot be a member of Imran Khan’s party,” she added.

“We will sit here and we will not leave Imran Khan.”

She questioned what the government wants to negotiate when meetings with the PTI founder have been banned. “Tell me why I cannot have meetings (with Imran),” she said.

Published in Dawn, December 24th, 2025