RAWALPINDI: The area around Adiala jail in Rawalpindi was marked by heightened tensions on Thursday, as police again denied the family of imprisoned PTI founder Imran Khan the opportunity to meet him, despite a court order permitting the visit.
The sisters of the former prime minister were briefly held by police at a checkpoint near the heavily fortified prison after PTI leaders had a heated confrontation with law enforcement over their inability to visit the jailed party founder.
However, a police representative denied any arrests, asserting that the PTI leaders were “politely escorted out of the Rawalpindi district” while under tight security. Later, the police accompanied the PTI leaders to the Chakri interchange.
Also among those detained were National Assembly Opposition Leader Omar Ayub, Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) leader Sahibzada Hamid Raza, and Punjab Opposition Leader Ahmed Khan Bhachar.
In a similar incident, seven leaders from the PTI, including the former prime minister's sisters Aleema Khan, Noreen Khan Niazi, and Uzma Khanum, along with their cousin Qasim Khan, were apprehended by police and placed in a prison van.
As they were being escorted to the van, the police informed them that they had arrest warrants. However, a senior police official later refuted the claim that any warrants were shown to the PTI leaders.
Earlier, several PTI members, including Mr. Khan’s sisters, had gathered at a construction site on Adiala Road to request a meeting with the former prime minister when the arrests took place.
The entire stretch of Adiala Road was sealed off, with a significant police presence and checkpoints established to limit access to the prison. The entrance of the plaza under construction, where PTI leaders had assembled, was also locked down.
A police spokesperson informed Dawn that no arrests were made on Thursday; instead, the family of the PTI leader was “politely escorted” out of the area.
Aleema Khan, who had previously been halted at the Dahgal checkpoint, expressed her disappointment at being denied the chance to visit, despite earlier commitments. She told reporters that they would not depart without seeing Imran Khan.
PTI representative Zartaj Gul addressed the media, asserting that both the court and jail regulations allowed them to meet Mr. Khan, questioning the rationale behind the current restrictions.
In the meantime, Sahibzada Hamid Raza condemned the government's biased approach, remarking: “Certain individuals are permitted to visit Imran Khan without court authorization or official lists, while others are denied access. I will never be part of the list of those who compromise.”