Several arrested as PTI workers, police clash near Adiala jail

• Aleema says jail authorities barred family from meeting Imran.
• Adds family members denied meeting for 3 consecutive weeks.
• "Will sit outside jail if not allowed to meet PTI founder." 

RAWALPINDI: A clash broke out between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers and police on Tuesday near Adiala jail in Rawalpindi, leading to multiple arrests and a brief standoff.

The confrontation occurred at the Gorakhpur checkpoint, where PTI workers had gathered and chanted slogans after the party leaders were denied permission to meet the jailed party founder Imran Khan.

In response, police resorted to baton charging the protesters, while PTI supporters pelted stones at law enforcement personnel. Several PTI leaders and workers were taken into custody during the altercation.

The situation was defused after Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Omar Ayub intervened and assured police of cooperation.

The police also detained Imran’s sisters — Aleema Khan and Uzma Khan — and PTI leader Aliya Hamza. PTI’s ally and SIC chief Sahibzada was also among those detained.

However, they were released hours later and left for their residence along with their cousin Qasim Niazi

Sources told Geo News that Raza also left with them in Aleema’s vehicle.

All individuals exited the police vehicle near the Chakri Interchange on the motorway and moved to their private car.

PTI founder's sisters visited Adiala jail to meet their brothers but were barred from entering the jail premises.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar strongly condemned the arrests, saying that the court has clearly ordered that the family be allowed to meet the PTI founder.

Barrister Gohar termed the detention of the PTI founder's sisters "illegal and unconstitutional," and asserted that no court order imposed conditional terms for such meetings.

"We did not pelt stones at police nor gave any call for protest. We only came here to show support for the PTI founder’s sisters," he added.

Separately, sources told Geo News that the police reportedly stopped the vehicle carrying the detained individuals at a short distance ahead of Adiala Jail. According to police officials, "You’re not being taken to a police station — please go back to your homes."

However, according to sources, the PTI founder’s sisters and Aliya Hamza refused to leave. “If you have taken us into custody, then take us to the police station,” they reportedly said.

'Not allowed to meet'

Earlier, family members of incarcerated PTI founder were barred from visiting him at Rawalpindi's Adiala jail.

Imran sisters — Aleema and Uzma Khan — and Qasim Khan Niazi were stopped from entering the jail premises.

In a statement, Aleema said she did not understand why the authorities were nervous. "It’s just family here, no one else.”

She alleged the authorities had communicated that the family would not be allowed to meet the incarcerated PTI founder. “They said we’re not allowed to go inside. Why not?” she questioned.

Aleema revealed that the family members had been denied a meeting for three consecutive weeks. “Today, again, police have been deployed here to stop us from meeting him."

“In such circumstances, if we don’t feel upset, then what else are we supposed to feel?” she asked.

She further stated that if they were not allowed to meet the PTI founder, they would continue to sit outside the jail. “We are very distressed. It’s been three weeks and we still haven’t been able to meet him,” she added.

Last month, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) reinstated twice-weekly meetings with PTI founder, allowing them to take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

However, the court strictly prohibited any media talk after these meetings. It ruled that no individual meeting the PTI founding chairman will be allowed to speak to the media afterwards.

Furthermore, only those individuals whose names are provided by the PTI founder’s coordinator, Salman Akram Raja, will be permitted to meet him.

Earlier, Aleema expressed concerns over restricted access to her brother.

Reacting to the PTI leaders' meeting with the former premier, she lamented the selective enforcement of meeting restrictions, saying that jail authorities had categorically told them family meetings were not allowed during gazetted holidays.

"Yesterday, April 1, was a gazetted holiday, and we were not permitted to meet our brother. The last time we saw him was on March 20. On March 27, we were also denied access," she said in a post on X.

Aleema further asked why others were granted access while family members were restricted — referring to Imran's meeting with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif.

"Are the gazetted holiday restrictions only for family? We have not been allowed to meet Imran, and he is also barred from speaking to his sons."