Aleema Khan, the sister of former prime minister Imran Khan, has filed a contempt of court petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the superintendent of Adiala Jail and three other government officials for denying her a meeting with Imran in jail.
The petition alleges that the officials failed to implement a court order allowing her to meet her brother.
The development comes a day after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) expressed concern over what it called “malicious rumours” circulating regarding the well-being of PTI’s founding chairman, urging the government to issue an immediate clarification.
The party had said that unverified claims about Imran were being spread through “non-official Afghan and Indian media outlets and foreign social media accounts,” creating unnecessary alarm.
The PTI had called on the federal government and the Ministry of Interior to “promptly and unequivocally” rebut the rumours and arrange an urgent meeting between Imran and his family. It had also demanded a transparent and official statement detailing Imran’s health, safety and current status.
The PTI has shared on its social media platforms that the petition has been filed for non-implementation of the court’s order of March 24.
The IHC had, on March 24, allowed Imran a twice-a-week meeting in jail, without interaction with the media.
According to an image of the petition shared by PTI leader Azhar Mashwani, Adiala Jail Rawalpindi Superintendent Abdul Ghafoor Anjum, Police Station Saddar Berooni SHO Raja Aizaz Azeem, and secretaries of the Ministry of Interior and Punjab Home Department have been made respondents in the petition.
The petition specifically requests the IHC to initiate contempt proceedings against the respondents for their failure to comply with the court’s order dated March 24, 2025. It further prays that the court punish the contemnors in accordance with the law to ensure justice is served.
Speaking to the media, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said disturbing reports regarding Imran’s health are circulating in the international media.
“Yesterday, we requested the jail administration to allow just 2-3 minutes for a meeting, but the visit was not permitted,” he said, adding that such discriminatory behaviour is fuelling hatreds.
The KP chief minister last night held a sit-in protest outside the Central Jail Rawalpindi, after he was denied a meeting with his party supremo “for the eighth time”. In the morning, he announced that they would gather again outside the jail on Tuesday, seeking implementation of the court order.
In a tweet last night, Aleema said Imran was in illegal isolation.
“People keep asking us about his health and safety, but the truth is, we have no access to anyone who can give us verified information. The media may quote “official statements” from jail authorities, but we do not trust a single word from them,” she said.
Imran’s sister said court orders should be followed, and his family, his lawyers, and his party leadership should be allowed to meet him. “The only reason we believe him to be safe is that the authorities would not dare to hurt even a hair on Imran Khan’s head. They are well aware of the consequences of any such stupidity. He is the leader of at least 90 per cent of Pakistan. They should definitely fear the wrath of the Pakistani nation,” she wrote.
Aleema said her family and legal team last met Imran on October 16, on the final day of his and Bushra Bibi’s jail trial. Since then, she said only her sister, Dr Uzma Khan, has been allowed to see him twice for barely 20 minutes each, on October 28 and November 4, “only because we held protests and sit-ins outside Adiala”.
She said the last people to meet Imran were Dr Uzma and Bushra Bibi’s daughter on November 4. “Since that day, we have been completely cut off, no family, no lawyers, and no party members have been allowed any access whatsoever,” she said.
