Adiala | Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Barrister Salman Safdar on Thursday met PTI founder Imran Khan at Adiala jail, a day after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) directed authorities to arrange the meeting. However, the lawyer departed from the premises without sharing any details with the media. Meanwhile, PTI information secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said that Imran had directed the party to postpone its public meeting scheduled for Thursday (April 9) at Liaqat Bagh. He said that a message had been given by Imran that the protest should be postponed due to the prevailing national and international situation. “Imran Khan has said that he will himself inform about the new date of the protest,” he said. Later, Safdar said in a series of posts on X that he had meet Imran at 3pm, but the ex-premier’s spouse, Bushra Bibi, “was not called from her cell to join the attorney-client meeting for crucial instructions” despite requests and court orders. He said the meeting lasted for 60 minutes, during which Imran was comprehensively briefed on all ...

ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI: The PTI said on Tuesday that the sisters of incarcerated party founder Imran Khan were taken into custody by law enforcement agencies as they attempted to stage a protest outside Adiala jail. The PTI had called for a “peaceful protest” outside the Adiala jail on Tuesday against the restrictions on meeting Imran. The party has also announced a protest in Rawalpindi on April 9 (Thursday), marking the day the former prime minister was ousted in a no-confidence motion in 2022. However, Section 144 was imposed in Rawalpindi under which gatherings were banned across the district for 15 days. Despite the imposition of Section 144 and the rainy weather in the twin cities, a large number of leaders and workers of PTI reached Adiala jail on Tuesday. PTI Core Committee member Seemabia Tahir told Dawn that party leaders, along with Imran’s three sisters, were stopped at DHA Chowk near Adiala jail. “Law enforcement agencies had already vacated a hotel in the vicinity; they arrested Noreen Niazi and U...

ISLAMABAD: Meetings with the incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan continued to remain suspended on Thursday as authorities yet again stopped party leaders outside Adiala jail. PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja had previously given a list of six names to jail authorities for a meeting with Imran. The leaders included Seemabia Tahir, Haider Mehdi, Raja Saqib Ali, Jahangir Ahmed Butt, Malik Najam Khan and Muhammad Owais Qaiser. Talking to Dawn, Tahir, a member of the party’s core committee, said that the time slot for meetings was from 2pm to 4pm. She said that workers and leaders reached Adiala jail at 1:45pm. “At the Dhagil check post, we informed authorities that our names were included in the list and, as per orders of the apex court, we should be allowed to meet Imran. But we were not allowed to move ahead. We were left with no option, so we started protesting,” she said. “We remained there till 4:30pm and finally decided to return,” she said. Replying to a question, she said that it was unfortunate th...

ISLAMABAD: Sisters of incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan were again not allowed to meet him at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail on Tuesday, while his party termed the persistent denial of meetings with the ex-prime minister a “blatant violation of fundamental human and constitutional rights”. The IHC has allowed Imran twice-a-week meetings — on Tuesday and Thursdays — with his family, lawyers and other associates. Despite the order, the ex-premier has not been largely restricted from meeting visitors for several weeks. His last meeting took place with his lawyer, Salman Safdar, on February 10, after the Supreme Court’s intervention following a long period of no visits being allowed. Speaking to the media outside the Adiala jail, one of Imran’s sisters, Aleema Khanum, said it was important to determine the cause of Imran’s medical issues, which have garnered attention in recent days. Concerns mounted after partial vision loss in Imran’s right eye was reported via Safdar after he met him. Doctors later confirmed that,...

ISLAMABAD: As the TTAP’s sit-in continued for the fifth day after the blocked routes to Parliament House were cleared, the alliance expressed hope on Tuesday that at least one family member of the incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan or a party leader would be allowed to meet him today amid concerns about his health. The hope, however, did not materialise. In the afternoon, an X account of the PTI said that a vehicle carrying Imran’s sisters was stopped at the Chakri Interchange while on its way to the Adiala jail. Later, Imran’s sister Aleema Khanum also claimed in a post that “we were stopped at the Chakri police post by the police. When we informed them that we intended to leave and proceed to Islamabad, they unlawfully blocked us and detained us there for the next four hours”. “We have now been released and are on our way to Islamabad,” she added. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Secretary General Salman Akram Raja also sought to meet Imran today but were told by the Adiala jail administration tha...

ISLAMABAD: PTI lawyer Salman Safdar on Tuesday met ex-premier Imran Khan at Adiala jail, saying that the party founder appeared fine healthwise. The meeting, which lasted nearly three hours, came after the Supreme Court earlier in the day allowed Safdar to meet Imran. Speaking to reporters outside the jail, Safdar said that Imran was fine and was looking healthy. However, he did not share further details about the meeting, saying that he had to submit a report to the court. He said once the report was submitted to the court, he would be able to share the details. SC allows lawyer to meet Imran Earlier in the day, the SC had allowed Safdar to meet Imran, declaring him amicus curiae. The development came a day after a request for an ‘urgent’ meeting — submitted by senior PTI leader Latif Khosa — was rejected by a two-member bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi and Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan. The bench observed that such an order could not be passed without hearing the other side. Hence...

ISLAMABAD: The PTI accused police of subjecting its workers to violence and arresting them near Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, where they were staging a sit-in on Tuesday. The IHC has allowed Imran twice-a-week meetings — on Tuesday and Thursdays — with his family, lawyers and other associates. Despite the order, the ex-premier has not been allowed any visitors for weeks, including his sisters and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. Therefore, protests and sit-ins near the Adiala jail, where Imran has been incarcerated since September 2023, have become a usual occurrence on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On several occasions, police have also used force to disperse the protesters, who often camp at Factory Naka — a police picket near the prison. Imran’s sisters and supporters again staged a sit-in near the prison today while a PTI post on social media platform alleged that police had inflicted violence on party workers and arrested them as well. A livestream on the PTI’s YouTube channel showed one of Imran’s...

RAWALPINDI: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, who reached a police picket near Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail on Thursday afternoon, announced that he, along with PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and other party members and supporters, would be camping at the spot overnight. Afridi, who has been seeking a meeting with the incarcerated prime minister since he assumed office of the provincial chief executive in October last year, but to no avail. He again reached Factory Naka — a police picket near the Adiala jail — today in yet another attempt to meet Imran, with Thursday and Tuesday being court-mandated dates for meeting with the former prime minister. However, he, as well as Imran’s sisters and lawyers, have been barred from meeting him for the past several weeks — a restriction that has made sit-ins and protests near the prison a usual occurrence. On several occasions, police have also used force to disperse the protesters, who often camp at Factory Naka. Speaking to the media on Thursday, A...

The sisters of incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan on Tuesday abandoned their sit-in near Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail and headed to Islamabad for a protest rally. Sit-ins a short distance away from the prison on Tuesdays and Thursdays by PTI workers and supporters, as well as Imran’s sisters, have become a usual occurrence as the former premier’s family continues to be restricted from meeting the ex-premier. A court order issued by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on March 24, 2025 mandated that meetings with Imran would be permitted twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Despite the IHC’s order, Imran’s sisters — Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan and Noreen Khan Niazi — along with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, have tried and failed to meet Imran. On Tuesday, the party and Imran’s sisters had staged a sit-in near Adiala jail after again being denied a meeting with the incarcerated prime minister. However, on Tuesday night, the party’s media coordinators told Dawn that the sisters suddenly ended the demon...

The PTI on Wednesday strongly condemned the police action against its protesters outside the Adiala jail in Rawalpindi yesterday, terming it “oppression” and “injustice”. The condemnation comes a day after the police dispersed a sit-in staged by PTI supporters and party founder Imran Khan’s sisters at Factory Naka near the prison after the authorities did not allow them to meet the incarcerated former prime minister. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the party said it condemned the “government’s oppression, use of force through police, and unlawful actions” outside Adiala in the “strongest terms”. Detailing the alleged arrests, the PTI said 11 men were detained at the Rawat police station and three women — Zuleikha, Dr Asma and Sanaya Safeer — were taken into custody by the Rawalpindi police. “Similarly, Advocate Raja Yasir, [MNA] Shahid Khattak’s brother Adil, and Tanveer have also been arrested,” it added. In a list of demands, the PTI sought the immediate release of “all arrested men and women”. It added...

RAWALPINDI: Incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan’s sisters and party workers staged a sit-in at Rawalpindi’s Factory Naka on Tuesday after they were again barred from meeting the former prime minister. Sit-ins at Factory Naka — which is a short distance away from the Adiala jail — on Tuesdays and Thursdays by PTI workers and supporters, as well as Imran’s sisters, have become a usual occurrence as they continue to be restricted from meeting the ex-premier for the past several weeks. A court order issued by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on March 24, 2025 mandated that meetings with Imran would be permitted twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Despite the IHC’s order, Imran’s sisters — Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan and Noreen Khan Niazi — along with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, have tried and failed to meet Imran. Routes to the Adiala jail were blocked on Tuesday, including at Factory Naka and Dahgal Naka, amid a large police presence. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan was stopped at Dahgal...

PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan met his wife Bushra Bibi at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail on Wednesday, sources said.

The sisters of incarcerated PTI leader Imran Khan and party supporters ended their sit-in near Adiala jail late on Tuesday after being given assurances of a meeting with the ex-premier being arranged next week. In a video posted by Tehreek-i-Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) on the social media platform X, Imran’s sister Aleema said that Mahmood Khan Achakzai had informed them that a meeting would be arranged next week. Achakzai is the head of the TTAP opposition alliance and chairman of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party. “This is what he reassured us about, that a meeting will be arranged next week,” Aleema said, as she looked at Achakzai, who was standing next to her along with Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) leader Allama Raja Nasir. Achakzai and Nasir had arrived at the site of the protest earlier on Tuesday. “Achakzai sahib has said that because they are saying a meeting will be arranged next week, today we should disperse ourselves before the water cannons show up. That is his advice,” she said. Recently,...

ISLAMABAD: After the Punjab police dispersed protesters outside the Adiala jail in the small hours of Wednesday, the opposition alliance, led by the PTI, denounced the use of water cannons against the family members of ex-prime minister Imran Khan and other party supporters. This is the third time the police have used force to break up the sit-in outside the prison. Imran’s sisters Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan, and Noreen Niazi, besides scores of supporters, have been staging weekly protests outside the jail to demand a meeting with Mr Khan. TTAP says struggle to continue despite govt ‘heavy-handedness’ Videos shared by the PTI Punjab account on the social media platform X after 1am showed water cannons targeting protesters. “In the severe cold, an attack with water cannons was carried out on unarmed, peaceful children, women, and citizens,” the X post said. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan condemned the use of water cannons and the arrest of Imran’s sisters and other PTI wor...

• 1,200 policemen, anti-riot personnel deployed; number of pickets increased • Party leaders return without visiting Imran after being barred by prison authorities RAWALPINDI/ISLAMABAD: As the PTI staged two sit-ins outside the jail in as many weeks, the Punjab government has deployed more than 1,200 police officials, installed additional pickets, and deployed anti-riot police in the vicinity of Adiala jail, in an apparent bid to pre-empt such protests. Separately, the jail authorities also barred the PTI leaders, including KP’s former finance minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra, who had arrived in Rawalpindi to meet their incarcerated party chief, Imran Khan. According to the Islamabad High Court, Mr Khan can have two weekly meetings with his family and party leaders, but the authorities have routinely restricted such visits, much to the PTI’s chagrin. Last Tuesday, the PTI leaders staged a protest, which was dispersed by police with water cannons after midnight. In a seemingly pre-emptive measure that would dissu...

PTI members, including former KP minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra, protested the denial of meetings with party founder and ex-premier Imran Khan outside Adiala jail on Thursday. Water cannons were used early on Wednesday to disperse PTI leaders and protesters staging a sit-in near Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, after his family was denied a meeting with the ex-premier. A court order issued by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on March 24 this year mandated that meetings with Imran would be permitted twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. However, the PTI maintains that the order is not being honoured. Jhagra was accompanied by PTI leaders, including Aftab Alam, Adnan Qadri, Pir Musavir Khan, Muhammad Israr and Liaqat Ali Khan. They were stopped at the Dahgali checkpoint on their way to the prison and staged a sit-in on the spot. However, they quietly gathered and left after a period of time. Jhagra wrote in a post on X: “870 unique meetings supposedly, but today was the 60th Thursday in a row when no one was allowed t...

Water cannons were again used early on Wednesday to disperse PTI protesters staging a sit-in near Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, after his family was denied a meeting with the ex-premier. Imran’s sisters, party workers and supporters had staged a sit-in at Factory Naka, demanding their court-mandated meeting with the PTI founder. A court order issued by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on March 24 this year mandated that meetings with Imran would be permitted twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. However, the PTI maintains that the order is not being honoured. Despite the IHC’s order, Imran’s sisters — Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan and Noreen Khan Niazi — along with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, have tried and failed to meet Imran over the past several weeks. Last Tuesday, after being denied a meeting with the PTI chief, his sisters and party supporters staged a sit-in, which was later dispersed with water cannons. Early on Wednesday, water cannons were again used to disperse the protesters, with poli...

PTI founder Imran Khan’s sisters, party workers and supporters are continuing their sit-in past midnight at Factory Naka, near Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, to demand their court-mandated meeting with the ex-premier. A court order issued by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on March 24 this year mandated that meetings with Imran would be permitted twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. However, the PTI maintains that the order is not being honoured. Despite the IHC’s order, Imran’s sisters — Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan and Noreen Khan Niazi — along with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, have tried and failed to meet Imran over the past several weeks. Last Tuesday, after being denied a meeting with the PTI chief, his sisters and party supporters staged a sit-in, which was dispersed early morning with water cannons. Late on Tuesday night, Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas arrived at the protest site and began one-on-one consultations with PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raj...

Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Sohail Afridi was denied permission to meet incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan for the 10th time on Thursday by the Adiala jail administration, while party leaders remain divided over the continuation of prolonged sit-ins outside the jail, warning that they could adversely affect the incarcerated leader. Politi­cal temperatures rose further a day earlier, as Rawalpindi police sought a legal opinion on the question of registering an FIR against PTI leaders and supporters over a protest outside Adiala jail, even as the party moved a privilege motion in the National Assembly over alleged use of force against its workers, and voiced alarm at reports of Imran Khan’s possible transfer to another prison. The PTI also joined other opposition parties in warning that efforts to “minus” the incarcerated former premier and clamp down on peaceful protest would only deepen the stand-off with the government and push the country towards greater political turmoil. Some party leaders bel...

• PTI slams water cannon ‘assault’ on Imran’s sisters and party workers, warns against his transfer to another jail • Privilege motion moved in NA after Khattak injured in melee • Opposition plans ‘national conference’ on Dec 20-21; says party founder inseparable from nation, politics • PM’s aide says all doors to talks with PTI now closed as party passed ‘point of no return’ • Gohar wants ‘common sense’ to prevail, questions move to isolate major party RAWALPINDI/ISLAMABAD: Politi­cal temperatures rose further on Wedne­sday, as Rawalpindi police sought a legal opinion on the question of registering an FIR against PTI leaders and supporters over a protest outside Adiala jail, even as the party moved a privilege motion in the National Assembly over alleged use of force against its workers, and voiced alarm at reports of Imran Khan’s possible transfer to another prison. The PTI also joined other opposition parties in warning that efforts to “minus” the incarcerated former premier and clamp down on peaceful prot...