Imran | Pakistan

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah and senior PTI leaders on Thursday dismissed reports of former premier Imran Khan’s ill health, with both sides stating that the PTI founder is ‘fine and nothing is wrong with him’. The PTI demanded a meeting with the incarcerated leader earlier today, saying the party was worried about his health as he has been barred from seeing his family and lawyers for over three weeks. Imran has been in jail since August 2023, serving a 14-year sentence on corruption charges. His family and party members have protested outside Adiala Jail in recent days, demanding a meeting. A party delegation visited the prison to see Imran today, but authorities again denied access. Amid media reports that the 73-year-old former international cricketer might be moved to a high-security prison to make meeting him more challenging, international media outlets such as Japan’s Nikkei and the BBC also covered the concern over his status. His well-being became a talking point...

After being denied a meeting with PTI founder Imran Khan for the eighth time, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi staged a sit-in at Factory Naka, near Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail on Thursday. CM Afridi was also denied a meeting with Imran at the jail last Friday. Speaking to reporters, he stated that it was unfortunate that, despite having orders from the Islamabad High Court (IHC), he was not permitted to meet the patron-in-chief of his party. He added that he wrote to the chief justice but received no response regarding the issue. The CM and party supporters originally intended to march to the prison, where Imran is incarcerated, but were stopped by a heavy contingent of police personnel at Factory Naka. The CM offered prayers at the sit-in, which were led by Punjab lawmaker Hafiz Farhat Abbas. Speaking to reporters earlier today, Afridi said that police had stopped him this afternoon at Factory Naka, near the jail. This is the same area where the party staged a sit-in after being denied a meeting...

The PTI has demanded a clarification from the government regarding recent “rumours” about the health of jailed party founder Imran Khan, calling on authorities to arrange a meeting between the former premier and his family. The development comes as Imran’s sisters have in recent weeks been repeatedly denied a meeting with him, leading them to question the whereabouts of the ex-prime minister and stage sit-ins outside the Adiala jail. Further, several social media accounts on X have shared unverified claims of his death, with Indian media also reporting on the alleged rumours about his health. The trend ‘Where is Imran Khan?’ was also trending on X on Thursday morning. In a statement issued early on Thursday on X, the party said “rumours of a despicable nature” were being spread from “Afghan and Indian media, and foreign social media accounts” regarding Imran’s health. The party demanded that the “current government and the interior ministry immediately and clearly dismiss and clarify the rumour and immediatel...

PML-N president and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday called for accountability for “those who brought Imran” into power, claiming that they were bigger “criminals” than the PTI founder. “Imran Khan was not the only criminal; the ones who brought him to power were the bigger criminals, and they should be held fully accountable,” said the PML-N supremo while addressing a gathering of newly elected lawmakers today. Nawaz has generally maintained a low profile since the PML-N, following the formation of a coalition with the PPP, came into power after the 2024 elections. In 2018, according to figures provided by the Election Commission of Pakistan, PTI had emerged as the largest political party in the country, winning 115 of the 270 National Assembly seats on which the elections were held. During a session in parliament following the election of then-PM Imran, PML-N leader Shehbaz brought up allegations of rigging in the July 25 polls. Alleging that 1.6 million votes were rejected, he questioned the...

Noreen Niazi, the sister of PTI founder Imran Khan, has submitted a formal complaint to Punjab Inspector General of Police Dr Usman Anwar against the “brutal assault” of PTI protesters outside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail last week. Last week, Imran’s sisters had camped outside Adiala Jail, where the PTI founder is currently incarcerated, along with other PTI members after being denied a meeting. According to the PTI, Aleema Khan, Dr Uzma Khan and Noreen were “sitting peacefully” outside the jail when they were manhandled and “violently detained” by police. Videos shared by the party on social media platform X showed workers, Aleema and Uzma gathered around Noreen, who appeared visibly shaken. “Those women were dragging [her] on the road,” Aleema said as Noreen’s hands trembled. In a post on X on Monday, the PTI said Noreen had filed a formal complaint with the Punjab IG over the “brutal assault and unlawful detention of peaceful citizens”. The party also shared the two-page letter, in which Noreen called the inc...

Imran’s May 9 cases fixed for hearing

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, in a letter to his counterpart in Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, has raised concerns over the alleged manhandling of PTI founder Imran Khan’s sisters by police and the obstruction of the incarcerated ex-premier’s visitation rights. The development comes after Afridi on Thursday was denied access to meet Imran for a seventh time. Further, two days ago police had allegedly manhandled and “violently detained” Imran’s sisters from outside Adiala jail in Rawalpindi, where they were camped out after being denied a weekly meeting with him. The letter, which was shared by the PTI on social media platform X early on Friday, said that Afridi wished to draw Maryam’s attention to “serious concerns” regarding the “administration of court-mandated visitation rights” of Imran and the recent treatment of his family members. “Clear and binding judicial directions govern Imran’s visitation schedule. These orders explicitly permit his close family members and nominated individuals to meet...

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan expressed concern and called for an inquiry into the alleged mistreatment of PTI founder Imran Khan’s sisters by police as the former were camped outside Adiala Jail. In a post on X today, HRCP expressed concerns over the reports of Imran’s sisters being “manhandled” and noted that the rights of prisoners’ families to meet their relatives and the right to peaceful assembly are protected under national and international human rights law. “Witness and media accounts indicate that family members and party representatives were engaged in a peaceful protest when police intervened, allegedly using physical force,” the statement read. “HRCP calls for a transparent inquiry and urges authorities to ensure the rights, safety and dignity of all involved are fully respected,” it added. The PTI had held a protest outside the jail on Tuesday, where Imran is currently incarcerated, but the jail administration did not allow party leaders and the PTI founder’s family to meet him. Subseq...

The PTI on Wednesday strongly condemned the Punjab government for unleashing “a reign of terror” on party founder Imran Khan’s sisters, party leaders, lawyers, and workers outside Adiala Jail, describing the act as utterly intolerable and completely unacceptable. The party announced that the opposition alliance would observe a countrywide ‘black day’ on Friday to demand the restoration of the Constitution, the rule of law and ‘real freedom’, as Imran repeatedly stated that the nation was left with no choice but to choose between freedom and death. Speaking at a press conference alongside Imran’s sisters — Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi — as well as Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) Chairman Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and other party leaders, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja condemned the acts carried out on Tuesday night and issued a stern warning to the authorities. He stated that the PTI continued to urge those in power to abandon their “reckless arrogance” and act responsibly before it w...

The PTI said late on Tuesday that police manhandled and “violently detained” the sisters of ex-premier Imran Khan from outside Adiala jail in Rawalpindi, where they were camped out after being denied a weekly meeting with the party founder. The PTI had held a protest outside the jail on Tuesday, where Imran is currently incarcerated, but the jail administration did not allow party leaders and the PTI founder’s family to meet him. Subsequently, the party held a sit-in outside the jail and criticised the prison administration for violating the court order in this regard. In a post on social media platform X after midnight, the party said Aleema Khan, Noreen Niazi and Dr Uzma Khan were “sitting peacefully” outside the jail when the police action happened. It added that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Minister Meena Khan Afridi, MNA Shahid Khattak and other party workers, including several women, were “subjected to violence and picked up by police”. “What should be routine weekly court-mandated family visits,...

LHC dismisses Imran’s plea to club cases

The PTI claimed on Saturday that the report by The Economist, widely circulated on social media, was nothing more than recycled propaganda masquerading as foreign commentary. The report covered PTI founder Imran Khan’s marriage to Bushra Bibi and her alleged role and extent of influence in his decision-making during his tenure as prime minister. Imran married Bushra in February 2018. An official response, issued by the party’s media wing, claimed that co-writer Bushra Taskeen was a known critic of PTI and the “so-called” analysis published in the report was to justify political victimisation and distract attention from real crises about human rights violations, economic collapse, constitutional violations and stolen elections. The party said it had the right to initiate legal action against all parties involved, including the writers and publication, if they fail to issue an immediate, full, and public apology. “We have seen this narrative play out before. Half-truths, innuendo, selective outrage, all package...

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said on Thursday that he was unable to meet the chief justice of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) earlier today and was denied permission to meet PTI founder and ex-premier Imran Khan at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail. Afridi has been seeking a meeting with the former premier, who is incarcerated at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, since he was sworn in as the KP CM on October 15. He has been denied access to the PTI founder at least four times since then, despite the IHC’s directives to implement its March order that reinstated a twice-a-week meeting schedule for Imran. Addressing reporters outside the prison, CM Afridi lamented that he was unable to meet the party founder and the chief justice of the IHC, the latter of whom he had waited 90 minutes to meet before leaving empty-handed. “As you all know, there have been continuous efforts through constitutional and legal means; this is the fifth time,” he said, referring to how frequently he was denied a meeting with the PTI f...

Former minister Fawad Chaudhry claimed on Wednesday that the “impacts” of the efforts of a trio — comprising him and other ex-PTI leaders — for political stability in the country and the release of political prisoners, including PTI founder Imran Khan, would start bearing fruit in the next 10 to 15 days. Fawad, along with fellow former PTI leaders Mehmood Moulvi and Imran Ismail, has been insisting on talks between the government and the PTI, in what they say is an effort to bring the political temperature down and pave the way for Imran’s release, who has been in jail since 2023. “I am very pleased that the efforts for political stability and to secure the release of political prisoners, including Imran, have resulted in significant initial successes, and their impact will start becoming evident in the next 10 to 15 days,” Fawad posted on social media platform X. He reiterated that himself, Moulvi and Ismail were making these efforts for “political stability in Pakistan”, expressing the optimism that differe...

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was on Thursday denied a meeting with incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan for the fourth time since assuming office. The denial comes despite the Islamabad High Court (IHC) last week directing the Adiala jail superintendent to implement a March 24 order that reinstated the twice-a-week meeting schedule for the former prime minister. Afridi has termed consultation with Imran as crucial in order to announce his new provincial cabinet after he was elected as the chief minister earlier this month. Speaking to reporters outside Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, Afridi said he was yet again prevented by the police from meeting Imran. He was flanked by PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, who was approved by the IHC as the designated person to provide the jail officials with the list of individuals named to meet Imran. Afridi highlighted the various legal steps he had taken in order to secure his meeting with Imran, including letters written to the Punjab Home Department a...

Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider said on Friday that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi should “definitely” be allowed to meet incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan. He expressed these views while answering a question during a press conference in Peshawar. His remarks come a day after Afridi was denied a meeting with Imran. It was the the second time that he had failed in his attempt to meet the former prime minister since assuming office on Oct 16, despite getting permission from the Islamabad High Court (IHC). When Haider, who was addressing the press conference alongside KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, was asked for his opinion on the matter, he said: “There is democracy [in the country], and in my view, political people should be dealt with in a political manner. The court has given [Afridi] the permission to meet [Imran], and if there is no legal hindrance, I see no reason why the meeting should not take place.” The Punjab governor further stated that “several visitors had been meeting sev...

CM Afridi denied meeting with Imran

The Islamabad High Court on Thursday directed the Adiala jail superintendent to implement a March 24 order that reinstated the twice-a-week meeting schedule for former prime minister Imran Khan. The directive came as a larger bench, led by Justice Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and including Justices Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Muhammad Azam Khan, collectively took up all 11 petitions filed by PTI leaders regarding Imran’s jail visitation. The ex-premier’s family and party have repeatedly accused prison authorities of “sabotaging” meetings with him. Today, the IHC directed Adiala jail’s Superintendent Abdul Ghafoor Anjum, who was present during the hearing, to allow Imran’s jail meetings, as per the earlier order, while abiding by standard operating procedures (SOPs). It directed the jail official to facilitate the meetings as per the lists provided by PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, who also attended the proceedings. Raja and Anjum traded barbs during the hearing as the PTI leader claimed that “not even once” ...

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Huzaifa Rehman said on Tuesday that the Centre has asked the Punjab government to arrange a meeting between KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and PTI founder Imran Khan to facilitate the formation of the provincial cabinet. Imran, imprisoned since August 2023, is serving a sentence at Adiala Jail in a £190 million corruption case and also faces pending trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act related to the May 9 protests. The PTI has regularly raised concerns about the lack of access to the party founder and how family, friends and party leaders are hindered from meeting him. Afridi, who was elected as the provincial chief minister last week, was denied a meeting with Imran during a visit to the prison on Thursday. Speaking to reporters, he said he would announce his cabinet after consulting Imran and seeking his input. He claimed he had officially notified the Punjab government and the federal government of his plan to visit Adiala, but received no response, adding that Prim...

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday removed the registrar’s objections on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s plea seeking a meeting with incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan and issued notices to the Adiala jail superintendent and others for October 23. Afridi had filed the plea on Oct 17, two days after he was sworn in as the provincial chief executive on Oct 15. He had gone to Adiala jail — where Imran has been imprisoned since September 2023 — after getting protective bail from the Peshawar High Court on Oct 16. However, he was denied the meeting; Afridi has stated that he would announce his cabinet after consulting Imran. He had then filed a plea with the IHC, however, the registrar’s office had objected to the maintainability of the plea. Today, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir took up the matter and overruled the objections of the registrar office. Afridi’s lawyer Advocate Ali Bukhari said that the registrar’s office had raised the objection that the petition was filed “without the provin...