Police dispersed a sit-in led by Aleema Khan outside Adiala Jail early Wednesday, using a powerful water cannon after authorities denied her request to meet former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan. The pre-dawn operation ended a nearly 12-hour protest that began Tuesday afternoon.
According to police, several PTI workers were detained during the clearance operation, which pushed protesters off the main road and allowed traffic routes around the jail to reopen. PTI MNA Shahid Khattak was injured after slipping into a drain, suffering a leg fracture that required hospital treatment and a month-long rest.
Aleema Khan announced that the protest would resume next Tuesday, insisting the movement would continue peacefully. Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan condemned the use of freezing high-pressure water, calling it unsafe particularly for women and elderly participants.
The standoff followed rising tensions over what PTI describes as increasingly restricted access to Imran Khan, who has remained in Adiala Jail after convictions in multiple cases. Although Tuesdays are designated for family and legal visits, PTI leaders say meetings have frequently been denied under the pretext of “security concerns.”
Frustration mounted Tuesday when Imran’s sisters were informed minutes before closing time that no meeting would be allowed. Officials refused to clarify whether access would be granted later in the week, prompting the immediate sit-in that quickly grew as more PTI leaders arrived.
Throughout the night, protesters chanted slogans while authorities enforced a virtual lockdown around the jail sealing roads, suspending commercial activity, and quietly shifting PTI workers’ vehicles.
Aleema Khan said the protest was peaceful but criticised the continued ban on family meetings, calling it unnecessary psychological pressure on Imran Khan. She rejected claims of political discussions during past visits, saying the allegations were being used to justify further restrictions.
PTI leaders warned that ongoing denial of access could heighten political tensions and deepen public concern ultimately leading to the early morning operation that broke up the protest.
