SWAT: Aleema Khan, the sister of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, on Sunday urged party’s youth to take a leading role in its political movement.

Addressing PTI workers and supporters during public gatherings in Swat and later in Buner, she asked party leaders in hiding, including former federal minister Murad Saeed, to come out of hiding. She criticised PTI leaders, who had gone underground to avoid arrest, saying imprisonment should not deter political workers from continuing their struggle.

Speaking from the sunroof of her vehicle to a large gathering in Swat, Ms Khan questioned party leaders’ reluctance to appear publicly. “Many people are hiding now. What is the worst that could happen? At most, they can only send us to jail,” she said.

She added that many PTI workers and leaders were already incarcerated and expected others to demonstrate similar resolve.

In a direct reference to former federal minister Murad Saeed, who has remained out of the public eye for an extended period, she urged him to emerge from hiding and appear before people. “Come out of hiding and face the public,” she said, arguing that fear of arrest should not prevent party leaders from participating in political activities.

Imran’s sister urges youth to lead party’s movement

A significant portion of her address focused on the role of young party workers. She said that future leadership of PTI rested with its younger generation. She urged them to take greater responsibility for the party’s political campaign.

“We can guide them only up to a certain point, but the real leadership belongs to our youth. The youngsters of PTI will now have to lead from the front,” she told the crowd.

Ms Khan also reaffirmed her commitment to the party, saying she would continue to stand alongside its workers regardless of consequences. “If this struggle leads to imprisonment, we are ready to go to jail with you,” she said, asking participants of the gathering whether they were prepared to assume a greater role in the movement. The crowd responded with loud slogans in support of PTI leadership.

Later, addressing another public gathering in Buner, Ms Khan criticised the federal government, accusing it of pursuing political victimisation against PTI leaders and their families. She alleged that after failing to weaken the party’s senior leadership, authorities were attempting to target Imran’s sisters through legal proceedings.

Describing the present administration as a “fake government”, she said that neither she nor other party members feared imprisonment. She also warned against what she described as the use of force or unlawful treatment against peaceful political workers, saying such actions would be strongly resisted.

Ms Khan reiterated that Imran’s political objective remained the establishment of what she called an independent and corruption-free Pakistan. She urged PTI supporters to remain committed to the party’s struggle despite ongoing legal and political challenges.

The back-to-back rallies in Swat and Buner were part of PTI’s ongoing efforts to mobilise supporters in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where party leaders have intensified public outreach amid ongoing legal cases and restrictions on several senior figures.

During both gatherings, Ms Khan repeatedly encouraged party workers, particularly youth, to remain active and sustain the party’s political campaign.

Published in Dawn, July 20th, 2026