Islamabad/Lahore, Dec 2: The Pakistan government on Tuesday allowed former prime minister Imran Khan’s sister to meet him inside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, ending a weeks-long restriction that had fuelled intense speculation about his health and safety.
For more than a month, an undeclared ban prevented family members from visiting the 73-year-old Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder, who has been incarcerated since August 2023 in multiple cases. The continued denial of access had triggered rumours on social media, with many questioning whether Khan was even alive.
Jail authorities, however, maintained that the former prime minister is in “good health”.
According to PTI, Khan’s sister Dr Uzma Khan was finally granted permission to meet him on Tuesday.
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“Although the government has allowed Dr Uzma to see her brother today, it remains to be seen whether they will honour this commitment consistently,” the party said in a statement.
Heavy police deployment around Adiala Jail
Tensions escalated earlier in the day as a large number of PTI supporters started gathering outside Adiala Jail. In response, the Punjab government deployed the entire Rawalpindi police force along the Adiala Road to prevent any demonstrations.
Authorities have already enforced Section 144 in both Rawalpindi and Islamabad, banning gatherings of more than four people. Senior police officers and SHOs from eight police stations were stationed outside the jail complex.
“A stretch of nearly eight kilometres has been sealed. Schools and colleges are shut, and residents are being asked to show identification to pass through the area,” a Punjab government official told PTI.
Protests by lawyers, warning from PTI
A group of lawyers also staged a demonstration outside the Islamabad High Court, accusing the government of keeping Khan in “unlawful isolation”.
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry reiterated that Section 144 would be strictly enforced. “Whether they head to the Islamabad High Court or the Adiala Jail, action will be taken without discrimination,” he said.
Demand for proof of life
Khan’s son, Kasim Khan, publicly urged the authorities to provide evidence that his father is alive. “We demand proof of Imran Khan’s life,” he posted on X.
PTI has warned that nationwide protests will follow if Khan’s sisters are not allowed regular access to him. They also cautioned that if anything happens to the former prime minister, those responsible “will not be spared by Pakistanis at home or abroad”. (PTI)
