The sisters of jailed former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan staged a sit-in outside Adiala Jail on Tuesday after authorities refused to let them meet him, escalating tensions over his treatment in custody.
Imran Khan, 73, has been held in the high-security Rawalpindi prison since August 2023 and faces multiple cases. His sisters: Noreen, Aleema and Uzma, said they arrived during their regular weekly visit but were blocked at the checkpoint.
Aleema Khan accused authorities of isolating and torturing her brother, telling reporters, “We have been coming here for the last eight months We are not allowed to meet Imran Khan. They are torturing him. He has been kept in illegal isolation. They should end this torture against Imran Khan.” Senior PTI figures, including Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief Junaid Akbar Khan, later joined the protest.
Police officials said the sisters were turned away because they arrived after official visiting hours. Instead of leaving, they began a sit-in alongside PTI leaders, prompting a heavy police deployment around the jail.
The dispute comes days after Uzma Khan was allowed a brief 20-minute meeting with her brother. She later said he appeared physically well but was facing psychological torture, alleging that he blamed Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, for orchestrating pressure on him. The military pushed back sharply; in a recent press conference, the army spokesperson criticised Khan — without naming him — as a “narcissist and mentally sick” individual.
The stand-off over access to Khan has become another flashpoint between the government and the PTI. Officials argue that family meetings are being used to relay political messages, while PTI leaders insist that denying access is part of a broader effort to break Khan’s will.
– Ends
With inputs from agencies
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