Aleema Khan recounts alleged police brutality during protest at Adiala Prison

Aleema Khan, sister of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan, accused police of unleashing a violent crackdown outside Adiala prison, saying her elderly sister was dragged onto the road and female lawyers were pushed into police vans as officers ended a 10-hour session late Tuesday night.

Addressing a press conference alongside Dr Uzma Khan and Noreen Khan, as well as PTI leaders, she said she was compelled to speak because of the conditions under which the PTI founder is being held. She alleged that Khan was placed in solitary confinement while they peacefully demanded their court-granted right to meet him.

Aleema said their protests never harmed anyone, and yet they are repeatedly denied permission to see their brother. She claimed that even last week, her sister, a doctor, was detained for several hours and the police officers deployed at the scene misbehaved with them.

Recounting the events of Tuesday evening, she said the family had informed authorities that they would not end their sit-in if they were denied a meeting. “There were no more than 20-25 people sitting on a sidewalk about half a kilometer from Adiala, and a few journalists were also present,” she said.

Learn more: Rawalpindi police arrest Imran Khan’s sisters after 10-hour sit-in outside Adiala jail

She alleged that the police first targeted and dispersed the journalists and then moved towards PTI’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa ministers Mina Khan, Shahid Khattak, Shafqat and Abdus Salam. “We told them to leave because the lights had been turned off and we thought an attack was imminent. We kept urging them to leave, but they refused,” she said. Aleema claimed the ministers were beaten and questioned whether this reflected Punjab police protocol.

She further alleged that female police officers – whom she called “Gullu Butts women” – were summoned and that a police officer, identified as Gulnaz, ordered others to “beat them”. She said her sister Noreen, 71, was thrown to the ground and dragged, and that the sanctity of women’s veils was violated when 17 female lawyers were placed in a police van and dragged by their hair.

During the press conference, Uzma said Imran had sent a message urging the nation to prepare mentally. “The time has come: either freedom or death. Yesterday we actually saw that there was no other choice,” she said. She claimed that the PTI founder had been in solitary confinement for two weeks and their request to meet him had been refused. “If you want to beat us, beat us. If you want to imprison us, do it. But we won’t trust anyone with the founder’s case,” she added.

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Noreen said her son was imprisoned, saying “a system of oppression” was in place. She also claimed that the police dragged her by her hair and questioned the intentions of those in power. She further alleged that authorities wanted Imran deported because he refused to accept Israel, while claiming that May 9 and November 26 were “planned events” and promising that they would not forget the injustices.

Aleema added that they would continue to sit outside Adiala jail and would not abandon their brother. “If you want to kill us, we are ready to die. We do not accept slavery. This is not an occupied Pakistan: every Pakistani has the right to this land, and we will name those who commit injustice,” she concluded.

KP provincial minister Mina Khan Afridi said meetings with the PTI founder were stopped after placing him in solitary confinement. Recalling the incident, he claimed that women and elected officials were attacked with water cannons during the cold night outside Adiala Prison, despite court orders.

Learn more: Achakzai assures that Imran will not act against anyone if the rule of law is restored

Afridi said even in times of war, women are not targeted, but a local SHO reportedly raised his hand against them. She warned the authorities that the PTI would not compromise: “If you block meetings with the founder, we will come back and expose your face to the world. »

Another PTI leader and member of the National Assembly, Shahid Khattak, alleged that during their peaceful protest, the police pushed and mistreated them. He said they feared for their founder and the alleged authorities were planning to move him from Adiala to Balochistan while keeping him in solitary confinement.

Also speaking to the press, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas condemned the alleged violence, calling it a “dark day.” He said no culture, religion or law allowed such treatment and wondered what crime the PTI founder had committed. He called for nationwide protests on Friday, urging people to wear black armbands.

PTI general secretary Salman Akram Raja urged authorities to “come to their senses”, saying the PTI founder has the right to meet his sisters. He called for the protection of freedom of expression, journalists, conscience and the judiciary, adding that “God’s justice is silent but sure.”