PTI alleges Imran Khan’s sisters ‘manhandled, violently detained’ outside Adiala jail; widespread condemnation follows

RAWALPINDI / ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday accused law enforcement personnel of manhandling and “violently detaining” former prime minister Imran Khan’s sisters outside Adiala jail, as party members protested being denied a court-mandated weekly meeting with their incarcerated party founder.

According to the PTI, Aleema Khan, Dr Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi were among those staging a peaceful sit-in outside the prison after jail authorities allegedly refused to allow the scheduled family meeting. The protest, attended by party MNAs, MPAs and workers, continued into the evening.

Videos shared by PTI on X showed a visibly distressed Noreen being supported by other women after the alleged police action. In one clip, Aleema recounted the moment Noreen was dragged: “Those women were dragging her on the road … she was practically unconscious before we managed to free her.”

In another video, Noreen said female officials “grabbed me by the hair and forced me to the ground,” insisting the group had been sitting peacefully.

PTI blasts govt over ‘weaponising family visits’

PTI said the incident represented “state oppression,” claiming that the prison administration was violating Imran’s right to weekly family visits. “Routine, court-mandated meetings are being turned into tools of violence against his family,” the party stated, alleging that KP Local Government Minister Meena Khan Afridi, MNA Shahid Khattak and several women workers were also assaulted and detained.

The party further alleged that the area outside the prison where the sisters waited “was intentionally flooded with water” before the lights were switched off. In the resultant chaos, PTI claimed, police “physically assaulted” the women, dragging one of them “across the road” while others screamed for help.

It also alleged that the refusal to allow the sisters inside was linked to administrative delays, claiming: “We were told Asim Munir’s notification has not yet been signed.”

Condemnations pour in from KP govt, former president, activists

The incident drew sharp criticism from political leaders across the opposition spectrum. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said the police action represented a “dangerous escalation” and condemned attempts to arrest Shahid Khattak and other lawmakers. “This has reached a point of no return,” he warned.

Former president Dr Arif Alvi decried the violation of “the sanctity of a woman’s veil,” insisting the sisters’ only fault was attempting to meet their brother.

Activist-lawyer Jibran Nasir said the episode fit into a wider pattern of state coercion. “Every abduction, every raid, every amendment, every rigged election—each time there is no accountability, the oppressors feel more immune,” he remarked. He described the Iddat case, the debate following a recent Economist article, and the treatment of Imran’s sisters as part of a “collective humiliation” meant to deter dissent.

Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas condemned the police operation as “a slap in the face of humanity and an example of the worst abuse of state power.” Those who lay hands on women, he said, “are neither worthy of being called Muslims nor Pakistanis.”

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PTI leader Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari called the police conduct “highly despicable,” insisting the party would raise the matter at every forum.

Background of dispute

PTI leaders and Imran’s legal team arrived at the prison early Tuesday for the weekly visit. However, the jail administration allegedly kept them waiting until late evening before finally refusing access. By 10pm, PTI claimed, the family had spent 12 hours outside in “severe distress.”

The Rawalpindi police and jail authorities have yet to issue a detailed statement responding to the allegations. Jail officials, however, have previously cited security protocols and administrative directives for restrictions imposed on meetings.

PTI has announced it will hold a press conference on the incident and may expand its protests if an investigation is not initiated. The party has demanded immediate accountability for the officials involved and restoration of regular visitation rights for the former prime minister.