Aleema Khan Claims Family Denied Meeting with Imran Khan for Three Consecutive Weeks

RAWALPINDI: Aleema Khan, the sister of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, has expressed frustration after her family members were barred from visiting him at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail for the third consecutive week. The family, including Imran’s sisters Aleema and Uzma Khan and Qasim Khan Niazi, were stopped by authorities from entering the prison premises on Tuesday.

In a statement, Aleema Khan questioned why the authorities were so reluctant to allow family visits, saying, “It’s just family here, no one else.” She alleged that the jail authorities had informed them that the family would not be allowed to meet Imran Khan, but did not provide a clear reason.

“We are not allowed to go inside. Why not?” Aleema questioned, expressing her confusion and distress over the situation. She revealed that family members had been denied a meeting with the incarcerated PTI leader for three weeks, with police presence heightened to prevent them from seeing him.

Aleema also emphasized the emotional toll of the situation, saying, “If we don’t feel upset in such circumstances, then what else are we supposed to feel?” She added that if they were not permitted to meet Imran Khan soon, they would continue sitting outside the jail.

The family’s attempts to meet Imran Khan come after a ruling by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) last month, which allowed twice-weekly visits to the former prime minister on Tuesdays and Thursdays. However, the court also imposed strict restrictions on media interaction after these visits, forbidding anyone who meets Imran from speaking to the press. Only those on a pre-approved list, coordinated by PTI’s Salman Akram Raja, are permitted to meet the former premier.

Aleema Khan previously raised concerns over selective enforcement of meeting restrictions, noting that while family members were denied access on gazetted holidays, other individuals, such as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, were granted meetings with Imran Khan.

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She pointed out the inconsistency, asking, “Are the gazetted holiday restrictions only for family?” Aleema also highlighted that her brother was not allowed to speak to his sons, further intensifying the family’s distress.

The ongoing denial of meetings has sparked public outcry, with many questioning the treatment of the PTI leader and his family under detention.