Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Imran Khan's sisters, along with PTI members, were barred from meeting him on Wednesday, after which they held a prayer sit-in outside the jail.
Chanting slogans, the protesters prayed for Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan’s safety, health and life while demanding his release from jail.
Protesters included Faisal Javed, PTI Senator, Rashid Qayamat Ali Butt, a protester from Lahore Wagha border, and Syed Jibran Haider Shah Jee, a protester from Lahore).
"We've been trying to meet for past two years, despite having court orders, not once, not twice more than 10 times when we come here to meet him- which is his legal right- they deny that meeting to they don't let him talk to his kids, his family. Then political people from his party, they're not allowed to meet him. Then lawyers, as legal aid, they are not allowed to meet him, despite having all those court orders," said one of the Khan’s supporters.
"Time and again, we go back to the courts, get the orders again. Then, you know, we file the contempt, then get the order again, then come here. So this has been going on for the past two years with me at least. So, you know, all those meetings which are his legal rights are being denied. We were reading Quranic verses and whatever has happened now, the water is all over our heads now. We don't know from where did it come but it wasn't there so all the ladies specially they were sitting reciting the Quranic verses. They had to get up so this is ridiculous. I mean, this was a peaceful protest. It's not a protest, in fact. It's just, you know, sisters are trying their legal right to meet their brother. And they were reading Quranic verses there and this happened. Very unfortunate. But people are still here and we'll keep on coming here. We'll keep on trying to meet Imran Khan," he added.
Recalling the time when Nawaz Sharif was in jail, the protester further cited, "Remember when Nawaz Sharif was in jail, every week about 200 people would meet him easily without going to any court, without getting any permission. There was no need to get any permission. So people would come to meet him easily. Now, when Imran Khan is in jail, it has been two years since people have been allowed to meet him.”
Another protester said, "We stand in solidarity with Imran Khan's family. We will stand by his sisters till our last breath.”
A court in Pakistan on January 2 sentenced several journalists and social media commentators to life imprisonment after convicting them of inciting violence during riots in 2023 linked to the arrest of Imran Khan, as reported by the media.
The convictions stem from cases registered after unrest in May 2023 saw some of Khan's supporters attack military facilities and government property in response to his brief arrest in a corruption case. Since then, the Pakistani government and military have launched a sweeping crackdown on Khan's party and dissenting voices, using anti-terrorism laws and military trials to prosecute hundreds accused of incitement and attacks on state institutions.
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