Imran Khan’s sisters released after brief detention for protesting denial of jail meeting

RAWALPINDI – PTI workers protested and threw stones near the jail after not receiving permission from Imran Khan’s family and leaders to meet him.

The police detained Imran Khan’s three sisters, Aliya Hamza, MNA Shafqat Awan, and several workers. However, the police later released the women after taking them some distance away, and Sahibzada Hamid Raza voluntarily surrendered.

According to reports, today was the scheduled day for the meeting between PTI founder Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi at Adiala Jail. Bushra Bibi’s family members, including Mehralnisa and Mubashara Sheikh, arrived at the jail, and after receiving permission from the jail authorities, they proceeded inside.

Barristers Ali Zafar, Aaliya Hamza, Nadia Khatak, lawyer Dr. Ali Imran, PTI woman worker Razia Sultana, lawyers Zafar Abbas, Hassnain Sanbal, Raja Mateen, and Imran Khan’s focal person Niazullah Niazi also reached Adiala Jail.

The vehicles of PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar, Salman Akram Raja, and Zahid Abbas Chaudhry were stopped at a checkpoint some distance from the jail, and later, they were not allowed to proceed on foot either.

Salman Akram Raja stated that it was unclear why checkpoints had been set up. “Our meeting was scheduled today, names had been sent, yet they stopped us at the checkpoint and prevented us from meeting our clients. It’s beyond understanding.”

Meanwhile, the police raided the PTI workers gathered near Adiala Jail and took four workers, including two women, into custody.

Imran Khan’s family was stopped before reaching Adiala Jail, and Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan, and cousin Qasim Khan Niazi were stopped near a private pharmaceutical company.

Aleema Khan spoke to the media, saying, “I don’t know why they are so scared? There’s no one here except for the family. The police say we are not allowed to go to the jail. Why? We haven’t been allowed to meet for three weeks. Today, they have deployed police to prevent us from meeting. If we are not upset, who will be?”

She further said, “If we are not allowed to meet, we will sit right here. We have been upset for three weeks now. We have been traveling from Lahore, and they are scared of just a few people standing here.”

Later, the police allowed six lawyers and leaders to meet Imran Khan, including Barrister Gohar, Barrister Ali Zafar, Mubashir Maqsood Awan, Zahid Abbas Chaudhry, Ali Imran, and female leader Razia Sultana.

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The police detained two lawyers and one other person near the private pharmaceutical company, but after negotiations with lawyer Naeem Haider Panjotha, the three detained people were released.

PTI leader Aliya Hamza was stopped at the Gorkhpur checkpoint as she wanted to meet Imran Khan’s sisters. Opposition leader Punjab, Malik Ahmad Khan, was also stopped from going to Adiala Jail. Deputy opposition leader Moeen Qureshi was also present.

Later, Imran Khan’s three sisters and Aliya Hamza were detained. Sahabzada Hamid Raza voluntarily surrendered, and Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan, Noreen Khan, and Qasim Niazi were taken away by police van to Gorkhpur.

Barrister Gohar stated that these are not arbitrary arrests, but detaining Imran Khan’s sisters is unconstitutional. “They have the right to meet their brother as per the court order,” he said. “The Islamabad High Court’s three-member bench issued an order that they must be allowed to meet every Tuesday and Thursday, but no meetings have occurred since March 20.”

Later, Rawalpindi police released all the women, including Aleema Khan, from a local wedding hall after their detention. Imran Khan’s sisters’ personal vehicle was also present at the hall.

After disembarking from the police van, all the female leaders sat in the hall’s lawn while police officers tried to convince them to go home. Despite being released by the police, Imran Khan’s sisters continued their sit-in in the wedding hall.