K-P CM slams Punjab over Imran sisters' treatment

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, in a letter to his Punjab counterpart Maryam Nawaz, has raised concern over “rough and inappropriate” treatment meted out to Imran Khan’s sisters during their recent attempt to visit him in Adiala Jail.

Afridi reminded Maryam that Imran is a former prime minister and warned that “any deviation from court-mandated procedures in his case, or any disrespectful treatment of his immediate family, becomes a matter of direct institutional concern.

The CM referred to Tuesday night's incident, when Rawalpindi police took the sisters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan into custody. The detention ended a 10-hour-long sit-in outside Adiala Jail. The three sisters, Aleema, Dr Uzma, and Noreen, were transferred to Chakri. The sit-in had been staged near the Factory Checkpoint after the PTI founder and his family members, along with party leaders, were denied permission to meet at Adiala Jail on the day of a scheduled visit.

In a statement on the social media platform X, PTI claimed that police violently detained Imran Khan’s sisters while they were sitting peacefully outside Adiala Jail.

Read: Aleema Khan recounts alleged police brutality at Adiala Jail protest

"Clear and binding judicial directions govern Mr. Imran Khan's visitation schedule. Despite the unambiguous nature of these instructions, repeated reports indicate persistent non-implementation by the authorities responsible for compliance."

The Islamabad High Court has issued multiple orders allowing the chief minister and Imran's sisters to meet the former Prime Minister. However, these orders have not been adhered to. Afridi himself has been turned away from Adiala seven times. 

He condemns the treatment of Imran's sisters, "Even if restrictions were to exist for political visitors—which is a different category altogether—there is no conceivable legal or administrative basis for obstructing or mishandling immediate family members whose presence is neither political nor disruptive in nature."

Aleema Khan, Imran's sister, has claimed her elderly sister was dragged on the road, and female lawyers were shoved into police vans. She further alleged that female police personnel—whom she referred to as “female Gullu Butts”—were summoned and one officer, identified as Gulnaz, instructed others to “beat them.”

Read more: CM Sohail Afridi denied meeting with Imran despite court orders

She added that her 71-year-old sister, Noreen, was thrown to the ground and dragged, and that the sanctity of women’s veils was disregarded as 17 female lawyers were placed into a police van and dragged by their hair.

He has demanded that the Punjab Government ensure visitation and implementation of all court directives, to hold accountable personnel accused of "physically mishandling " Imran's family and K-P ministers. 

He has urged that clear instructions be given to police and prison personnel to avoid such incidents in the future and "establish a transparent mechanism ensuring that all future meetings are facilitated."