Imran Khan’s sisters return to Adiala jail for sit-in after meeting with PTI founder denied again

A week after Rawalpindi police detained the sisters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, the prolonged sit-in on Adiala Road ended on Wednesday following successful negotiations between the police and the protestors. The founder’s three sisters, joined by party leaders and workers, had staged the protest after being denied permission to meet Imran Khan in Adiala Jail.

On Tuesday, several PTI leaders, including Aleema Khan, Dr Uzma, Noreen Khan, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Salman Akram Raja, and Sheikh Waqas Akram, were stopped by police while attempting to reach the jail. The sisters were held at the Factory checkpoint, while other leaders were blocked at the Dahgal checkpoint.

During the sit-in, participants demanded that the meeting be allowed, chanting slogans and attempting to march toward the jail, though police prevented any advance. National and Provincial Assembly members, along with party workers, had joined in solidarity.

Read: Adiala jail denies PTI founder running X account from prison

Negotiations were facilitated with the involvement of Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, Salman Akram Raja, and Shahid Khatak, among others, leading to a peaceful resolution. Following the talks, the founder’s sisters and party leaders ended the sit-in and left the Factory checkpoint, returning peacefully after assurances from authorities.

During the protest, Aleema had told media that the sit-in would continue until the meeting was granted, condemning the isolation of the PTI founder as “illegal and unconstitutional”, and criticising female police officers for following unlawful orders. Noreen echoed these concerns, saying the family remained unaware of Imran Khan’s current health and that even a brief meeting had been unjustly denied.

Other leaders, including Meena Khan, Sheharyar Afridi, and Mushtaq Ghani, also joined the demonstration. Participants demanded respect for legal and constitutional rights, stressing their determination to continue the sit-in despite police efforts to block them.

Barrister Salman Akram Raja vowed to stand by principles and the PTI founder’s sisters. “We stand with principles, we stand with the sisters, and we will continue to stand with them. We face armed forces, yet we stand unarmed with the strength of principles — and history bears witness that principles ultimately prevail,” he said.

He added that the people will secure Imran Khan’s release and emphasised that it is the public who must decide whether the rule of the Constitution will prevail in the country or the rule of brutality.

Tehreek‑e‑Tahaffuz-e-Ain Pakistan Deputy Chairman Allama Raja Nasir Abbas also warned that the patience of the Pakistani nation should not be tested, adding that if all avenues were blocked, people would rise in a revolution. “When the people come out, you will beg for a meeting with Khan Sahab, but no one will listen. You will simply be told to leave,” he said.