Aleema Khan Accuses Authorities of Selective Access to Imran Khan in Adiala Jail
Aleema Khan, sister of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, has alleged that jail authorities are selectively permitting meetings with the incarcerated former prime minister while denying access to his close family members. Speaking outside Adiala Jail on Tuesday, she revealed that despite waiting for two and a half hours, she and her sisters were refused a meeting.
In strong remarks, Aleema criticized the judiciary, calling it “decayed” and accusing it of prolonging politically motivated cases. She pointed out that while Bushra Bibi’s family was allowed to meet Imran Khan, his sisters were denied the same opportunity. According to her, Imran Khan informed his lawyers that jail authorities had cited Eid holidays as the reason for suspending visitation rights.
Aleema further claimed that senior lawyers Hamid Khan and Uzair Bhandari were also barred from meeting the PTI founder. She questioned why courts, which can restrict lawyers from speaking to the media, fail to ensure compliance with approved meeting lists.
Expressing concern over Imran Khan’s detention conditions, Aleema alleged he is being held in solitary confinement and demanded transparency regarding the state’s treatment of him. Despite these challenges, she affirmed that the PTI founder remains resilient.
During discussions with his legal team, Imran Khan reportedly expressed alarm over the situation in Balochistan, recalling that his government had previously resolved issues in the province through dialogue. Aleema also disclosed that she was accused during a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probe of managing PTI’s social media activities—a claim she dismissed.
“The credibility of our judiciary is at stake,” Aleema stated, emphasizing that while they trust their lawyers, the courts must ultimately deliver justice. She also highlighted the plight of nearly a thousand PTI workers imprisoned since November 26, stating they were detained not for personal reasons but for their political beliefs.
Tensions Over Legal Access
A dispute erupted at Adiala Jail’s Gate 5 when Babar Awan, a PTI leader, was permitted to meet Imran Khan despite objections from PTI’s legal coordinator, Salman Akram Raja. The disagreement arose after Raja submitted a pre-approved list of lawyers—including himself, Niazullah Niazi, Naeem Panjutha, Zaheer Chaudhry, Hamid Khan, and Azam Swati—only for jail authorities to remove Swati and allow Awan instead.
Raja protested the change, warning that PTI lawyers would stage a demonstration if Awan was granted entry. Jail officials initially assured Raja that Awan would not be allowed in, but later reversed their decision, permitting six PTI lawyers, including Awan, to meet Imran Khan.
Speaking informally to journalists afterward, Awan confirmed the meeting took place and noted Raja’s presence. The incident underscores ongoing tensions between PTI’s legal team and jail administration over access protocols.
