Imran’s sisters, PTI leaders again denied meeting former premier at Adiala Jail

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Sisters of former prime minister Imran Khan and leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) were again refused permission to meet him at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, according to reporting by Dawn. The denials came despite an Islamabad High Court order that has allowed the incarcerated former premier twice-weekly meetings with family, lawyers and party associates—on Tuesdays for family and lawyers and on Thursdays for party leaders.

Dawn reported that Imran Khan has been in jail since August 2023 and has been sentenced to 14 years in a £190 million corruption case and 17 years in the Toshakhana-2 case. Family members and party officials have repeatedly alleged that court-directed access has not been implemented for several months.

On successive visiting days, lists of intended visitors were submitted to the jail administration, yet those who arrived—including Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi, along with lawyers and PTI office-bearers—were not allowed inside. Advocate Awais Younas Chaudhry, who prepares and submits the visitor lists, told Dawn that the groups waited through visiting hours and left without meeting Khan.

Coverage Comparison

Dawn’s coverage has centred on the repeated denial of visits, the Islamabad High Court’s twice-weekly meeting order, and competing accounts of a power-of-attorney dispute involving Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi. Multiple Dawn dispatches describe PTI leaders and Khan’s sisters arriving at the jail and being turned away, with party figures stating that the administration is not implementing the court order.

Separate Dawn reporting has carried Aleema Khan’s public statements outside the jail, including her rejection of social-media claims that a former army chief met Khan inside Adiala, her assertion that the only acceptable political “deal” would be restoration of an independent judiciary and free and fair elections, and her broader criticism of the country’s political and economic situation while Khan remains imprisoned. Dawn has also reported the Adiala superintendent’s submission to the Islamabad High Court that counsel for Khan and Bushra Bibi deliberately avoided collecting a signed power-of-attorney document and thereby misled the court—an account the party disputes.

Additional detail in Dawn’s accounts includes family allegations that Khan has not received proper treatment for an eye condition, has had tightly limited contact with the outside world, and underwent a medical procedure at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad in late January, with follow-up treatment there. Dawn further noted a complaint by Bushra Bibi’s daughter alleging mistreatment of her mother by jail staff.

Key Claims

• Imran Khan’s sisters and PTI leaders were prevented from meeting him at Adiala Jail on scheduled visiting days, as reported by Dawn.
• The Islamabad High Court has allowed Khan twice-a-week meetings with family, lawyers and associates (Tuesdays and Thursdays), according to Dawn.
• Khan has been in jail since August 2023 and has been sentenced to 14 years in a £190 million corruption case and 17 years in the Toshakhana-2 case, Dawn reported.
• PTI has accused the jail administration of misleading the court regarding power-of-attorney documents for Khan and Bushra Bibi, as carried by Dawn.
• The Adiala superintendent told the Islamabad High Court that counsel deliberately avoided collecting a signed power-of-attorney document and accused them of misleading the court, Dawn reported.
• Aleema Khan dismissed as “totally fake” reports that a former army chief met Khan at Adiala Jail, stating the claims had been checked with PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, according to Dawn.
• Aleema Khan said the only acceptable “deal” would be restoration of an independent judiciary and free and fair elections, Dawn reported.
• Khan’s family has alleged he is not being provided proper treatment for an eye condition and has had severely restricted outside contact, as reported by Dawn.
• Bushra Bibi’s daughter lodged a complaint against jail staff for allegedly mistreating her mother, Dawn reported.

Perspectives

PTI and Khan family: Party leaders and Khan’s sisters say the jail administration is ignoring Islamabad High Court orders on twice-weekly meetings, imposing hurdles and isolation, and misleading the court over power-of-attorney paperwork. Aleema Khan has described social-media claims of a meeting with a former army chief as disinformation intended to distract from alleged denial of medical care, family contact and other lawful rights, and has called for Khan’s release alongside an independent judiciary and free elections.

Adiala Jail administration: The superintendent informed the Islamabad High Court that counsel for Khan and Bushra Bibi deliberately avoided collecting a signed power-of-attorney document and sought to mislead the court on the matter, according to Dawn’s account of the jail’s position.