The PTI said early on Wednesday that authorities used water cannons to disperse protesters, including the sisters of PTI founder Imran Khan, who were staging a sit-in outside Adiala jail after being denied a meeting with the ex-premier.

In a post on X at 3:58am, the party said, “Pakistani authorities used water cannons to disperse Imran Khan’s sisters and peaceful PTI workers outside Adiala Jail, despite a court order allowing a meeting with the jailed former PM.

“This brutal crackdown on a peaceful sit-in violates basic human rights and freedom of assembly in freezing weather!” the party said. It also shared a video of a water cannon being used as people, bundled up against the cold, fled the scene.

In another post, the party said that Imran’s family was deliberately blocked from meeting him, which led to the sit-in.

It said that the use of water cannons was “not only a shameless violation of Imran Khan’s prisoner rights but also an outright assault on the constitutional rights of people who gathered to protest the regime’s atrocities”.

“International human rights organisations and champions of democracy must not stay silent in the face of such inhumane and authoritarian actions in Pakistan,” the party said.

In yet another post, Imran’s sisters Aleema, telling drenched participants of the sit-in, “Kids, ghabrana nahin hai (don’t panic) … its just water, don’t panic because of water.”

PTI stages sit-in

The sit-in, led by Aleema and also including Imran’s other sisters Uzma and Noreen, was staged outside the jail on Tuesday after she was once again denied a meeting with the ex-premier. Senior party members, including PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and PTI KP Provincial President Junaid Akbar Khan, had also joined the demonstration.

Police had contacted Imran’s sisters twice and suggested that they leave. Later, a heavy contingent of police was deployed at the scene.

The PTI has made multiple attempts to meet the incarcerated party founder, being denied an audience each time by jail authorities despite a court order allowing meetings on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

However, last week, the authorities allowed Uzma Khan, another one of Imran’s sisters, to meet her incarcerated brother. After the visit, she said he was “perfectly fine”.

Speaking in video statements as she made her way to the prison on Tuesday, Aleema alleged that the state had been breaking the law, while maintaining that the PTI had done nothing illegal.

“If they do operate illegally and we do our work according to the law, and if they are right and we are wrong, then that shows just how our system works,” she said,

She then highlighted that Imran has not been allowed to meet his personal physician for the past 14 months.

“What is the issue in allowing one doctor to meet Imran Khan?” she asked. “When Nawaz Sharif went to jail, a doctor was with him all day, counting his platelets.

“What sort of system is this?”

Aleema then exited her car and began to walk towards Adiala jail, accompanied by a large crowd of party members and supporters. She made it to Gorakhpur Market on Adiala Road — roughly a kilometre southwest of the prison — before being stopped by riot police.

Sitting at the police barricade, Aleema delivered another statement on video.

“This is unconstitutional and illegal. Why are they keeping Imran Khan isolated and tortured?” she asked. “These people are violating the Constitution and breaking the law.

“We will not move from here; they can beat us with sticks or shoot us,” Aleema added. “Do what you will.”

Meanwhile, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan spoke to reporters at Dahgal, just up the road from the prison and urged authorities to allow meetings with Imran, stating that it would “improve the situation”.

“We have a right to come here, and there is a court order allowing us to be here,” Gohar argued. “We had an agreement and a consent order that family and legal counsel could meet him (Imran), but even today, we have been stopped.”

“There are a lot of things we are trying to do, but they are not in our control. But if we are allowed to meet, if he is allowed to meet his wife then it will improve the situation.”

Gohar also said that there cannot be division in the country and while there is disagreement in politics, there should not be hostility.

He left the area without meeting the PTI founder.

PTI Secretary General Raja said there was no excuse to bar Imran’s sisters from meeting him, as it is one’s right to meet relatives.

“No one can deny the right to meet by saying that Imran Khan’s message was shared outside,” he said.

PTI provincial president Akbar said that a large number of party workers and supporters reached Adiala Jail because of a challenge from Senator Faisal Vawda.

“We have come here prepared and are willing to sit here the whole night,” Akbar said. “We hope that the meeting will be arranged, but workers are charged and we are ready for a prolonged sit-in.”

He added that the distance between people and state institutions is increasing, stating that the PTI does not want the gap to grow.

“People have started hating you, so you should think wisely,” said Akbar. It remains unclear whom he was addressing.

Similarly, PTI MNA Shahid Khattak said that they were peaceful people and would demonstrate peacefully.

“I am a parliamentary leader of the PTI in the National Assembly and it is my right to meet Imran Khan,” he said. “Workers have arrived here just because they love Imran Khan and they think that only he can address the issues of Pakistan.”

Khattak also said that a policy should be made to address the issue of military operations in tribal areas.

“We have no objection to drone attacks, but drones don’t strike the right targets, due to which civilians are being killed. I suggest that the elders of tribal areas be involved in negotiating with the terrorists. In the past, we were having tea in Afghanistan and now Afghans have been declared enemies,” the MNA added.

Meanwhile, KP MPA Shafiullah Jan said that in the mainstream media, someone was saying that nobody would reach Adiala Jail.

“He should see that we have reached here,” he stated. “I think anger has grown among workers after the press conference of DG ISPR. We will sit here unless one of the sisters is allowed to meet with Imran Khan.”

Last Tuesday, Uzma was accompanied by scores of PTI supporters who gathered outside the jail as she went inside the prison to meet her brother.

When she exited, she delivered remarks on Imran’s behalf, which were later posted to his X account. These remarks were critical of army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and prompted a fiery response from the military’s spokesperson last Friday, who branded Imran “mentally ill” and a “narcissist”.

Last Thursday the federal government barred Uzma and others from meeting Imran over alleged violations of the prison code.

“There is no room in the [prison] rules for political discussions and it was reported that political discussions occurred, so meetings are now banned for Uzma Khan. This won’t happen,” said Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar.

That same day, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was denied a meeting with Imran for the ninth time. He addressed the media outside the prison after the continued lack of access and said he would update the media on the future course of action — whether he would stage a sit-in or not.

The next day, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that “the gloves are off” and that anyone protesting outside Adiala jail, where PTI founder Imran Khan is currently incarcerated, would be dealt with harshly.

The minister said that strict action would be taken against any individual who creates a law and order situation outside the prison, including arrests and the registration of legal cases.