Rawalpindi, December 9, 2025: Aleema Khan, sister of incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, on Tuesday led a sit-in near Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail after authorities once again denied the family permission to meet the former prime minister.
Speaking to the media through video statements while travelling to the jail, Aleema alleged that the state was acting illegally, insisting that the PTI had committed no violation of the law. “If they operate illegally and we act according to the law, then it exposes how the system works,” she said.
She also raised concerns over Imran Khan’s health, claiming that he 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 questioned, drawing a comparison with former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s incarceration, during which, she claimed, a doctor remained with him throughout the day.
Earlier, Uzma Khan, another sister of Imran Khan, said her brother was “perfectly fine” after she was allowed to meet him last week. On that occasion, she was accompanied by a large number of PTI supporters who gathered outside the jail. However, last Thursday, the federal government barred her and others from further meetings, citing alleged violations of prison rules.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar had said that prison regulations do not allow political discussions during jail meetings and that such discussions were reported during previous visits. “There is no room in the prison rules for political discussions, and it was reported that political discussions occurred, so meetings are now banned for Uzma Khan,” he said.
On Tuesday, Aleema Khan stepped out of her vehicle and began walking towards Adiala jail, accompanied by a sizeable crowd of PTI leaders and supporters. She reached Gorakhpur Market on Adiala Road—about a kilometre southwest of the prison—before being stopped by riot police.
Sitting at a police barricade, Aleema reiterated her allegations, calling the situation “unconstitutional and illegal.” “Why are they keeping Imran Khan isolated and tortured?” she asked, adding, “We will not move from here; they can beat us with sticks or shoot us.”
Meanwhile, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan also spoke to reporters at the site, urging authorities to allow meetings with the jailed party founder, saying it would help “improve the situation.”
“We have a right to be here, and there is a court order allowing us to come,” Gohar said. “There was an agreement and a consent order that family members and legal counsel could meet Imran Khan, but even today, we have been stopped.”
He added that political disagreements should not translate into hostility, stressing that divisions in the country must be avoided.
The PTI has made repeated attempts in recent weeks to meet Imran Khan, with jail authorities denying access each time. Last Thursday, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was denied a meeting with the former prime minister for the ninth time. Speaking to the media outside the jail, Afridi said he would announce his future course of action, including the possibility of staging a sit-in.
A day later, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar warned that strict action would be taken against anyone protesting outside Adiala jail. He said those creating a law and order situation would face arrests and legal proceedings, adding that “the gloves are off” regarding protests at the prison.
