• Imran’s sisters stage sit-in outside Adiala, vow not to disperse without meeting brother
• Salman Akram Raja says talks ‘meaningless’ under current circumstances; Gohar insists dialogue ‘need of hour’, backs protest drive

ISLAMABAD: After his family members and party supporters cou­ld not meet him on Tuesday, Imran Khan’s sisters urged his supporters to join their protest outside the Adiala jail, which, they clai­med, was the start of the ‘street mo­v­ement’ directed by the jailed leader.

After the authorities did not allow them to visit Mr Khan, the PTI leaders and the family members staged a sit-in outside the jail to demand the restoration of the visitation rights. Aleema Khan, who was present outside the prison alongside her sisters, said they would not leave the site despite a potential crackdown by the authorities, like the previous couple of times. She said the sisters will hold a sit-in demanding a meeting with their brother, as it was unfortunate that the administration was not allowing them to meet Mr Khan.

As confusion persists within the PTI regarding the dialogue, she said the offer for talks with the opposition came from the prime minister — the Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) did not request the dialogue. “It was Shehbaz Sharif who offered talks. However, as per instructions of Imran Khan, who had directed (CM) Sohail Afridi to start preparations for movement, we are on the roads,” she added.

Her sister Noreen Niazi expressed similar sentiments. “There is no need to wait for anyone. You all should come out on your own. The street movement has started, and Sohail Afridi has started this movement from Lahore, Punjab,” she said as per a statement posted on PTI’s official X account. “Don’t wait for any leader. Everyone should come out together in their streets and neighbourhoods and take this public movement forward,” she added.

“We are worried that Imran Khan has been in solitary confinement for two and a half years. The people have to come out to get him out. When the people come out, he (Imran) will also come out…,” Ms Niazi added.

Meanwhile, PTI interim chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said it was unfortunate that they were being forced to request a meeting with the founding chairman despite court orders. He said that negotiations can be held with the government, while preparations for the protest movement will simultaneously be continued. He acknowledged that talks were the need of the hour, ruing that they were not taking place.

PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said visiting the incarcerated party leader was their basic right. He said everyone was aware that the meeting would not be arranged, but they kept on visiting to record their protest and express support for Imran Khan. Replying to a question, Mr Raja said that under such circumstances, talks would remain meaningless as the government was not serious.

The sit-in outside the prison continued till midnight, with the police ready to disperse the protesters. It may be noted that in light of these protests, the Punjab government had set up additional pickets in the vicinity of the prison and deployed additional police equipped with anti-riot gear.

Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2025