Pakistan police have booked Imran Khan’s sisters and PTI leaders under the Anti-Terrorism Act after a protest sit-in outside Adiala Jail, sparked by denied family visits.
At least 14 arrests followed, escalating political tensions amid the jailed ex-PM’s ongoing incarceration.
Pakistan authorities charged former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s sisters, Aleema Khan and Rubina Khanum, alongside prominent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders including Sheikh Waqas Akram and others under the stringent Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) on 17 December 2025.
The action stemmed from a sit-in protest outside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, where demonstrators demanded permission for family members and lawyers to meet Khan, who has been imprisoned since August 2023 on multiple charges including corruption and leaking state secrets.
Police arrested at least 14 people on site, with spokesperson Khurram Abbas warning of further detentions as investigations probe “anti-state activities disrupting public order.” PTI denounces the bookings as blatant political victimisation, while the government insists they target threats to national security.
This comes amid heightened scrutiny ahead of potential elections, with Khan’s party alleging a crackdown to silence opposition voices.
Protest Unfolds Amid Family Despair
The protest erupted around midday on 17 December when Khan’s sisters, accompanied by dozens of PTI supporters, assembled at the gates of Adiala Jail-Pakistan’s high-security facility housing the ex-premier. Eyewitnesses reported protesters chanting slogans like “Release Imran Khan” and blocking key roads, creating a standoff that lasted hours.
Heavy police contingents, including anti-riot units, dispersed the crowd using tear gas and baton charges, detaining 14 individuals on charges of inciting violence and blocking public pathways. Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari addressed the media later that evening, stating firmly:
“No individual, regardless of their relation to political figures, is above the law. These gatherings pose a direct threat to public safety and national stability.”
Humanising the scene, Aleema Khan later shared via PTI’s official channels: “We are not terrorists; we are a family desperate to see our brother, who has been denied even basic humanitarian access for months.”
PTI leader Gohar Ali Khan echoed this, describing the arrests as “a heartbreaking assault on grieving families,” and vowed legal challenges. Reports indicate over 50 additional supporters were briefly held but released with warnings, underscoring the fragile fault lines in Pakistan’s political landscape.
Historical Context of PTI-Government Clashes
This episode fits a broader pattern of confrontation since Khan’s ouster via a no-confidence vote in April 2022, followed by his dramatic arrest in May 2023 amid nationwide riots that claimed over 10 lives and injured hundreds. Adiala Jail has become a flashpoint, with PTI staging multiple protests demanding Khan’s release-each met with force.
Recent developments include a Supreme Court ruling in late November 2025 partially restoring PTI’s cricket bat electoral symbol, a symbolic win after its earlier revocation crippled the party’s campaign machinery.
Yet, negotiations for Khan’s visitor access collapsed last week, with jail authorities citing “security protocols” amid intelligence alerts on potential unrest.
The ATA invocation marks a severe escalation; the law, enacted post-1997 sectarian violence, allows for rapid trials and sentences up to life imprisonment without standard bail provisions.
Legal experts like Lahore-based advocate Salman Safdar note: “Booking families under ATA blurs lines between dissent and terrorism, eroding public trust.” PTI claims over 10,000 of its workers remain incarcerated nationwide, fuelling accusations of a “state-sponsored vendetta” ahead of polls expected in early 2026.
Government’s Security Rationale and PTI’s Defiance
Official statements emphasise public order. Punjab Inspector General of Police Usman Anwar briefed reporters on 18 December, affirming: “Investigations reveal coordinated efforts to incite chaos; we will not tolerate elements undermining the state.”
This aligns with Islamabad’s narrative portraying PTI as destabilising forces, especially after November’s violent clashes during by-elections that saw 20 arrests. Meanwhile, PTI has mobilised digitally, with viral videos of the protest amassing millions of views on X (formerly Twitter), galvanising diaspora support.
Party spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram, now charged, declared from custody via lawyers: “These FIRs are Imran Khan’s true sentence-silencing a movement for justice.”
Analysts warn of ripple effects, potentially sparking copycat protests in Lahore and Karachi, where PTI retains strongholds.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Upholding law and order remains paramount, yet deploying anti-terrorism laws against family protests risks alienating citizens and deepening societal rifts-contrary to the harmony, empathy, and dialogue we advocate.
Pakistan’s path to stability lies in transparent justice, allowing jailed leaders dignified access while addressing legitimate security concerns through inclusive talks.
Kindness demands recognising human anguish behind political banners, fostering coexistence over crackdowns. PTI’s fight for rights deserves fair hearings, just as authorities merit respect for maintaining peace.
