A confrontation between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters and police broke out near Adiala jail on Tuesday, resulting in multiple arrests, including members of Imran Khan’s family and senior party leaders, Express News reported.
The clash took place at the Gorakhpur checkpoint in Rawalpindi after PTI workers gathered to protest against being denied permission to meet the jailed party founder, Imran Khan. Protesters chanted slogans in support of their leader before police intervened.
According to officials, police used batons to disperse the crowd, while PTI workers reportedly pelted stones in retaliation. Several leaders and workers were arrested during the scuffle.
Among those detained were Imran Khan’s sisters, Aleema Khan and Uzma Khan, as well as PTI leader Aliya Hamza. PTI’s Sahibzada Hamid Raza was also taken into custody. Sources said the sisters had arrived at the jail to meet their brother but were barred from entering the premises.
The situation de-escalated after Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub, intervened and assured police of cooperation.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan condemned the arrests, saying, “The court has clearly ordered that the family be allowed to meet the PTI founder.” He called the detention of Khan’s sisters “illegal and unconstitutional.”
“We did not pelt stones at police nor gave any call for protest. We only came here to show support for the PTI founder’s sisters,” he said.
In an unusual turn of events, police reportedly dropped the detained women, including Aleema Khan, at a local wedding hall. PTI sources claimed their personal vehicle was also moved to the same location.
After exiting the police van, the women sat in the lawn of the wedding hall and refused to leave, despite police insisting they were free to go. A peaceful sit-in continued at the location, led by Imran Khan’s sisters.
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