The political tension in Pakistan has deepened following allegations that police violently assaulted the sisters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan outside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail. The confrontation erupted as fake reports of Khan’s death spread across social media, prompting his family and supporters to stage a midnight protest demanding proof of his well-being.

Khan’s sisters—Noreen Khan, Aleema Khan, and Uzma Khan—claimed they were “brutally attacked” by police officers during the peaceful protest, which aimed to secure permission for a jail visit after more than three weeks of silence from authorities. According to their statement, police abruptly plunged the area into darkness by switching off streetlights before launching the crackdown on demonstrators. Videos circulating online show chaos outside the jail as police disperse protestors using force.

In a letter addressed to Punjab police chief Usman Anwar, the sisters described the assault as “orchestrated and unprovoked.” Noreen Khan recounted being “seized by the hair, thrown violently to the ground, and dragged across the road” at the age of 71. She further alleged that other women present at the scene were also slapped, dragged, and injured. The sisters accused police of acting with impunity and violating basic democratic rights, calling their actions “criminal and morally reprehensible.”

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The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party condemned the alleged assault, calling for an impartial investigation into what it described as “state brutality.” PTI officials said even senior party members and regional leaders, including Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, have been repeatedly denied permission to meet Khan. Afridi reportedly made seven attempts to see the PTI founder in Adiala Jail but was refused each time.

Imran Khan has been imprisoned since August 2023 in multiple cases and remains in solitary confinement, according to his legal team. Reports suggest that he is being denied access to his lawyers, books, and basic amenities—a situation his aides have likened to “the law of the jungle.” The government has not yet commented on the restriction of visits or the allegations of police brutality.

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