'Imran may be moved to solitary cell'

Aleema alleges smear campaign; sisters to relay jailed leader's messages

RAWALPINDI:

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders on Monday warned that party founding chairman Imran Khan could be moved into solitary confinement after a few more hearings, and accused authorities of running a campaign to divert attention from his message.

The party also said Imran's future messages will be delivered by his sisters to avoid similar diversions.

Aleema Khan, speaking to reporters near Adiala jail, said she expects that "after a few more hearings, Imran will be moved into solitary confinement".

She claimed a campaign against her had been launched to distract the public from Imran's message and announced a change in how Imran's communications will be relayed.

"I will be replaced by my sisters Dr Azmi and Noreen Khan," she said, adding that they "will convey his message so that attention is not diverted because of me".

Aleema insisted the move was aimed at silencing attention on Imran. "This is all an attempt to distract attention from the founder."

She said only a few hearings remain in the Toshakhana-2 case and warned that "two or three hearings after that, Imran will be put into complete solitary confinement".

"We struggle to get the founder out of jail… He is and will remain the party chairman. Forget that he will stay jailed for the next 10 years - Imran and we will never bow down."

Aleema told reporters that Imran had been warned he could be arrested, but that he was not worried. She said she and others were working to secure his release and signalled a tactical change.

"In the next two or three hearings, my sisters will deliver Imran's message," she said, "so that attention will not shift because of me…".

At the same time, PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan defended Khyber- Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur's position and criticised the speed and conduct of political trials. "Ali Amin Gandapur will remain chief minister as long as he has the party founder's confidence," he said, and voiced hope to avoid taking the Toshakhana case to the higher judiciary.

Speaking near Adiala jail, Gohar Khan said he had not yet met Imran but expected a meeting the following day.

He highlighted judicial delays across the country and connected them to the party supremo's situation, saying that tens of thousands of cases in Pakistan were pending.

He demanded that Imran's trials be conducted with access for lawyers, media and the public just like other cases, and argued that the way Imran's trials were being rushed only fostered suspicion.

Gohar Khan reiterated the party's official stance against terrorism and called for restraint in operations in K-P.

He urged de-escalation and said he had been in touch with families affected by recent incidents.

Gohar warned that public confidence in the judiciary was being eroded by Imran Khan's treatment and said there was no basis for suggesting the incarcerated leader's sisters had improper contacts with any agency.