Pakistan: After being refused entry to visit the former prime minister, Imran Khan’s sisters protest outside Adiala prison
Pakistan: Aleema Khan, Noreen Khan Niazi, and Uzma Khan, the sisters of Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan, staged a sit-in Tuesday outside Factory Naka in Rawalpindi after being refused entry to visit the imprisoned founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in Adiala Prison, according to the Express Tribune.
The demonstration concluded on Tuesday night after starting at around 3:30 p.m. (local time).
Due to their inability to see the former prime minister, Imran Khan’s family has staged rallies over the last several weeks. In the Toshakhana-II case, Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi received sentences of 17 years in jail.
According to the Express Tribune, senior PTI officials including Mushtaq Ghani and province president Junaid Akbar participated in the sit-in demonstration.
Aleema, the sister of Imran Khan, told the media that they were prevented from seeing him every Tuesday because the authorities were afraid of him. She said that Bushra Bibi and Imran Khan were both tortured mentally and kept in solitary confinement.
Aleema said that the PTI founder had already given instructions to be ready for demonstrations, claiming that anybody discussing talks would not be speaking on behalf of the party once such a decision was made.
According to authorities, security was stepped up in Rawalpindi earlier on Sunday in anticipation of the Jamaat-e-Islami meeting at Liaquat Bagh and the protest by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, as the Tribune reported.
More than 1,300 police officers and security guards have been stationed around Rawalpindi to uphold law and order, according to the Tribune. It said, citing authorities, that the deployment consists of 340 constables, two police superintendents, seven deputy superintendents, 29 inspectors and station house officers, and 92 senior subordinates. Additionally, 400 members of the Anti-Riots Management Wing, 22 Rapid Emergency and Security Operations people, and seven sections of Elite Force commandos have been sent.