RAWALPINDI – Police on Thursday released Imran Khan’s sisters and other PTI leaders after brief detention.
When PTI founder Imran Khan’s sisters and party leaders, including Omar Ayub, Zartaj Gul, Hamid Raza, and Niazullah Niazi, arrived at Adiala Jail to meet him, police barred them from proceeding. Imran’s sisters, including Aleema Khan, staged a sit-in protest and refused to leave. Eventually, seven individuals were taken into custody.
According to reports, today was designated for meetings with Imran Khan, yet arriving leaders were stopped. Opposition leader Omar Ayub was halted at the Gorakhpur checkpoint by police.
Speaking to the media, Ayub criticised PM Shehbaz Sharif, calling him the biggest liar, and questioned how the government planned to sustain fuel levies and help provinces like Balochistan. He accused the government of deception and blocking Baloch leader Akhtar Mengal. He challenged any government MNA to visit Balochistan without security.
Aleema Khan and her two sisters were stopped at the Dahgal checkpoint, prompting their protest. They declared they would not leave without meeting Imran, accusing authorities of dishonesty.
Similarly, Zartaj Gul was stopped at the same checkpoint and told the media that despite having court orders and jail manual provisions supporting their meeting, police had sealed Adiala Road. She criticized PML-N leader Atta Tarar and questioned the excessive security.
Hamid Raza and Niazullah Niazi were also stopped at Dahgal. Raza said they had no choice but to protest peacefully. He criticized the lack of transparency and favoritism in allowing some individuals, not on the official list, to meet Khan. He said compromised individuals were being prioritized, and he would never be part of such a list.
As Khan’s sisters staged a sit-in, police demanded PTI leaders and supporters to vacate the area. Under SP Nabeel Khokhar’s command, additional police arrived and dispersed the crowd. Imran’s sisters took shelter in a plaza, but police, including female officers, entered and removed other women supporters. The sisters refused to leave.
Police summoned the plaza owner and ordered it locked. The manager arrived with locks.
Omar Ayub, stopped again at Gorakhpur, took a motorcycle through nearby villages to reach the Dahgal plaza where PTI leaders had gathered. There, he consulted with Aleema Khan on further protest.
Ayub told media he was shocked that police could stop an opposition leader and said the judiciary must assert its authority. “What harm is there in letting us meet our leader?” he asked. “All we want is to talk party matters with him.”
SP Khokhar ordered the detention of PTI leaders. Police entered the plaza and arrested seven individuals, including Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan, Noreen Khan, cousin Qasim Niazi, Punjab Opposition Leader Ahmad Khan Bachar, and SIC head Hamid Raza.
