Amid circulating rumours about the death of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan in prison, his three sisters have alleged that police violently attacked them while they sought permission to meet him. Noreen Khan, Aleema Khan, and Uzma Khan stated that they, along with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters, were assaulted by police outside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail earlier this week during their protest demanding access to the detained leader.
Khan has been held at Adiala Jail since 2023, and his sisters claim they have been denied the opportunity to visit him for over three weeks.
According to Khan's PTI, his sisters and supporters were gathered outside the jail when police officers allegedly attacked and violently assaulted them, claiming their only 'offense' was requesting a meeting with Imran Khan. The party has demanded an independent investigation into the alleged harsh treatment of Khan's sisters and supporters outside Adiala Jail.
Statements Made by His Sisters
In a letter addressed to Punjab police chief Usman Anwar, Khan's sisters alleged that the violence was deliberate, severe, and executed by police officers without any provocation.
Noreen Niazi stated that they held a peaceful protest to raise concerns about his health, without blocking roads, hindering public movement, or committing any illegal acts. However, without any prior warning or provocation, the streetlights in the vicinity were suddenly turned off, intentionally plunging the area into darkness, after which Punjab police officers carried out a violent and coordinated attack.
She recounted that at 71 years old, she was grabbed by the hair, forcefully thrown to the ground, and dragged across the street, resulting in visible injuries. She added that other women outside the prison were slapped and pulled. According to her, the police actions were part of a wider, disturbing trend of excessive force against peaceful demonstrators over the past three years, highlighting a concerning lack of accountability.
She stated that the actions of the police were neither entirely criminal nor illegal, yet were morally objectionable and fundamentally opposed to the core responsibilities of law enforcement in a democratic society. Khan's sisters urged the Punjab Inspector General of Police to promptly take action against all officers implicated in the violent attack.
The incarceration of Imran Khan
Khan, the chief patron of PTI, has been incarcerated since August 2023 facing several legal cases. For more than a month, the government has imposed an unofficial restriction on meetings, while false rumors about his death have been spreading across social media.
PTI reports that Khan is being held in total isolation and solitary confinement. A member of the legal team informed the press that restrictions are being imposed on books, basic necessities, and communication with his lawyers. Khalid Yousaf Chaudry remarked that the situation resembles a jungle law, where only the ruling force holds rights, leaving others without any.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was repeatedly barred from visiting Khan. Despite making seven successive attempts to meet him in prison, jail officials refused, with Khan alleging that an army officer was directing their actions.
