PTI leaders and Imran Khan's sisters denied meeting with him again, protest outside Adiala Jail

Islamabad [Pakistan], December 31 : Leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and sisters of former prime minister Imran Khan were once again prevented from meeting him at Adiala Jail, prompting them to stage a sit-in near the prison, Dawn reported.

The denial took place on Tuesday, despite an Islamabad High Court (IHC) order issued on March 24 mandating that Imran be allowed meetings twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

PTI has repeatedly said the court directive is not being implemented and has held sit-ins outside the jail to demand access to the party founder, some of which were earlier dispersed using water cannons.

Speaking to the media, Aleema Khan said she and her sisters would continue their protest and would not leave the site.

She criticised the authorities for denying the family a meeting with Imran and questioned the state's actions, according to Dawn.

Referring to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi's recent visit to Punjab, Aleema said public support should not be measured by crowd size.

"It should be gauged how much the Punjab government was afraid of Sohail Afridi and other supporters of Imran Khan," she said.

"They blocked all roads, food streets and other areas, but the people of Lahore proved that they really support Imran Khan," Aleema stated.

She said it was unfortunate that authorities continued to prevent a meeting with the PTI founder.

Responding to a question, Aleema said Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) had not sought talks with the government, adding that the invitation had instead come from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

"However, as per the instructions of Imran Khan, who has directed Sohail Afridi to start preparations for a movement, we are on the roads," she said.

She added that she and her sisters would persist in demanding a meeting with their brother.

Meanwhile, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan expressed concern that meetings with Imran were being denied despite court orders, Dawn reported.

He said it was unfortunate that a political party had to seek permission to meet its own chairman.

On the question of dialogue, Gohar said talks could take place but stressed that preparations for a protest movement would continue alongside negotiations.

"It is the need of the hour to hold dialogue, but it is not taking place," he said.

He described the repeated requirement to stand outside the jail every week as "unjustified".

"A ceasefire was declared with the external enemy, but political tension continues within the country," Gohar added.

PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said it was a fundamental human right for prisoners to meet their family members and alleged that Imran had been placed "in solitary confinement".

He said party leaders were aware that the meeting would likely not be allowed, but would continue visiting the jail to register their protest and support.

Replying to a question, Raja said talks with the government were meaningless in the current circumstances as the authorities "were not showing any seriousness", according to Dawn.

Imran has been imprisoned since August 2023 and is currently serving a sentence at Adiala Jail in a £190 million corruption case.

He also faces trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act related to the May 9, 2023 protests.

The PTI has frequently raised concerns about Imran's health and that of his wife.

His son Kasim Khan said in an interview on December 1 that he feared authorities were hiding "something irreversible" about his father's condition.

However, Imran's sister Uzma Khanum said on December 2 that her brother was "perfectly fine" after she was allowed to meet him, Dawn reported.

"Imran Khan's health is perfectly fine. However, he was very angry and said that they are subjecting him to mental torture," she said.

Uzma added that Imran was confined to his cell for most of the day and allowed limited time outside.

She noted that he was not in contact with anyone and that their meeting lasted around 30 minutes.

Earlier this month, a United Nations special rapporteur warned that Imran was being held in conditions that could amount to inhuman or degrading treatment and urged Pakistani authorities to adhere to international standards.

Reacting to the report, PTI said it exposed the "degrading treatment" of its founder and amounted to a "blatant violation of international law and fundamental human rights."

Last week, Aleema Khan and PTI supporters ended a sit-in at Rawalpindi's Factory Naka hours after they were again stopped from proceeding towards Adiala Jail to meet the incarcerated former prime minister.

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