Imran Khan’s family denied meeting again; opposition leaders warn of rising authoritarian mindset.
A late-night operation by Rawalpindi Police has sparked fresh controversy as Imran Khan’s three sisters Aleema Khan, Dr Uzma Khan and Noreen Khan, were taken into custody, ending their 10-hour peaceful sit-in outside Adiala Jail. The protest was launched after the family, along with senior PTI leaders, was once again denied permission to meet the PTI founder despite a scheduled visit.
The sit-in was staged at the Factory Checkpost near Adiala, drawing supporters and party workers demanding that the authorities allow the Khan family a confirmed meeting date. Police held several rounds of talks, but Aleema Khan refused to move until authorities committed to a meeting the following Tuesday.
When negotiations failed, the administration escalated the situation. Around midnight, male PTI workers were forcibly dispersed, after which a women’s police unit detained the Khan sisters, placing them in a police van and transporting them to Chakri. The remaining workers eventually dispersed peacefully, but the forceful conclusion of the protest triggered widespread criticism.
PTI issued a strong statement on X, accusing the police of violently detaining Imran Khan’s sisters despite their peaceful stance. The party further alleged that KP Minister Meena Khan Afridi, MNA Shahid Khattak and several female workers were also subjected to violence and taken into custody. PTI called the move yet another example of targeted political suppression.
The backlash intensified when Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, leader of the Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Ain-e-Pakistan (TTAP), condemned the operation, calling it a direct violation of basic human values, religious principles and ethical standards. Abbas described the police action as a “grave misuse of state power” and warned that such tactics reflect a “dangerous and oppressive mindset” taking root within state institutions.
Despite the serious allegations, there has been no immediate response from the Punjab government or police.
Opposition leaders, analysts, and PTI supporters have pointed out that the incident not only raises questions about transparency, but also strengthens the narrative that state institutions are being misused to target one political group—PTI. Many argue that the repeated denial of family visitation rights and the subsequent crackdown on peaceful women protestors reveal a troubling pattern.
The detention of Imran Khan’s sisters is more than a routine law-and-order incident, it reflects a deeper shift in Pakistan’s political landscape. The repeated denial of a basic family meeting, followed by force against peaceful female protestors, suggests that state power is increasingly being wielded in a selective, politically charged manner. Analysts warn that such actions undermine public trust in institutions and deepen political polarisation. In essence, what happened outside Adiala Jail is not an isolated event, but part of a broader trend showing how dissent, especially from PTI is being confronted with coercion rather than dialogue.