Exclusive | ‘Won’t Move Until We Meet Imran Khan’: Sister Noreen, PTI Supporters Lay Siege to Adiala Jail

New Delhi/Rawalpindi: Tension escalated dramatically outside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail on Wednesday as thousands of PTI supporters and Imran Khan loyalists attempted to push through police barricades to seek information about the jailed former Pakistani Prime Minister’s condition.

The unprecedented mobilisation forced the Shehbaz Sharif government to deploy hundreds of additional security personnel, including paramilitary forces, to fortify the prison complex.

Speaking exclusively to Republic, Imran Khan’s sister Noreen Khan vowed that the family would not leave the jail premises until they were allowed to meet him.

“We will sit here until we meet Imran Khan. We will not move. They cannot silence us anymore,” Noreen told Republic.

Sisters Allege Manhandling; Public Pressure Mounts On Govt

Noreen Khan also alleged that she and her sisters were dragged by their hair and manhandled during Tuesday night’s protest when PTI workers gathered outside the jail premises. Her claims have added to growing public outrage, especially as the family says they have not been permitted to meet Imran Khan for nearly a month.

PTI leaders say the mass gathering outside Adiala Jail marks a major pushback against Pakistan’s military-backed government, with several analysts calling it a potential turning point for democracy in the country.

Fresh Protest Called For Thursday; Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM To Join

According to sources quoted by Republic’s Pakistan bureau, PTI has called for another major protest on Thursday outside Adiala Jail. Sohail Afridi, Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is expected to arrive at the protest site, signalling an escalation of the political pressure.

Afghan Media Claims Add To Tension; No Confirmation From Islamabad

Fuelling the charged atmosphere, a report published by Afghanistan-based media claiming that Imran Khan had been “mysteriously killed” inside the jail has been circulated widely online.

There is no official confirmation of these claims and the Pakistan government has issued no statement verifying or responding to them. However, the rumours have significantly intensified protests and public anxiety.

Khan’s sister Noreen told Republic that the government must allow immediate access to dispel confusion and reveal the former PM’s actual condition.

‘Time For Peace Has Ended’: Noreen Khan

Speaking emotionally, Noreen Khan said Imran’s last message to the family was to remain peaceful, but claimed he did not know the severity of the situation outside. “Imran told us to stay peaceful. But he does not know that peace has ended,” she said.

“If anyone harms us now, no one will be spared. People have gathered from across the world,” she said.

She also praised PTI workers, calling them “a trained army of Imran Khan” and thanked the Punjab Police sarcastically for their earlier crackdown, which she said inadvertently united supporters.

‘Solitary Confinement, No Lawyers, No Sisters Allowed’: PTI General Secretary

In another Republic exclusive, PTI’s general secretary criticised the government for cutting Khan off from all legal and family contact. “Not a single sister has met him for weeks. No lawyer has met him. He has been put in solitary confinement,” he said.

“We are living through a historic period. Neither law nor economy is functioning. The entire nation is watching,” he said.

The leader accused the government of suppressing dissent across provinces, from Balochistan to Gilgit-Baltistan, and warned that the current crisis was “unsustainable”.

Situation Outside Jail Remains Volatile

Security forces have cordoned off several approach roads to Adiala Jail and authorities fear that Thursday’s protest, now backed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, could draw an even larger crowd.

PTI maintains that until the family is allowed in and Khan’s condition is independently verified, sit-ins will continue indefinitely.

ALSO READ: Afghan Media Claims Imran Khan Killed In Jail; PTI Supporters Intensify Protest As Ex-PM’s Sisters Denied Meeting