A sit-in led by Aleema Khan, the sister of incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan, continued on Tuesday night near Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail after she was once again denied a meeting with the ex-premier.
The sit-in continued into the night, with party leaders and supporters present on Adiala road as of midnight.
Senior party members, including PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and PTI KP Provincial President Junaid Akbar Khan, also joined the demonstration earlier tonight.
The PTI has made multiple attempts to meet the incarcerated party founder, being denied an audience each time by jail authorities despite a court order allowing meetings on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
However, last week, the authorities allowed Uzma Khan, another one of Imran’s sisters, to meet her incarcerated brother. After the visit, she said he was “perfectly fine”.
Speaking in video statements as she made her way to the prison today, Aleema alleged that the state had been breaking the law, while maintaining that the PTI had done nothing illegal.
“If they do operate illegally and we do our work according to the law, and if they are right and we are wrong, then that shows just how our system works,” she said,
She then highlighted that Imran has not been allowed to meet his personal physician for the past 14 months.
“What is the issue in allowing one doctor to meet Imran Khan?” she asked. “When Nawaz Sharif went to jail, a doctor was with him all day, counting his platelets.
“What sort of system is this?”
On the other hand police contacted Imran’s sisters twice and suggested that they leave. Later, a heavy contingent of police was deployed, giving the impression that a crackdown could ensue at any time.
Aleema then exited her car and began to walk towards Adiala jail, accompanied by a large crowd of party members and supporters. She made it to Gorakhpur Market on Adiala Road — roughly a kilometre southwest of the prison — before being stopped by riot police.
Sitting at the police barricade, Aleema delivered another statement on video.
“This is unconstitutional and illegal. Why are they keeping Imran Khan isolated and tortured?” she asked. “These people are violating the Constitution and breaking the law.
“We will not move from here; they can beat us with sticks or shoot us,” Aleema added. “Do what you will.”
