On the evening of December 16, 2025, tensions flared outside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, as a protest sit-in unfolded involving the sisters of former prime minister Imran Khan and supporters of his party, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI). The demonstration, sparked by authorities’ refusal to allow family members and lawyers to meet the incarcerated PTI founder, quickly escalated into a confrontation that would draw national and international scrutiny.
According to reports from Dawn and The Express Tribune, Imran Khan's sisters—Aleema Khan, Noreen Khan, and Dr Uzma Khan—arrived at Adiala Jail alongside senior PTI leaders for a scheduled family meeting on Tuesday afternoon. However, at around 4pm, jail authorities informed the group that the meeting would not take place. The denial, which protestors called an illegal infringement of their rights, prompted the family members and dozens of PTI leaders and supporters to stage a sit-in outside the prison walls.
The protest drew a sizable crowd, with eyewitnesses and police estimating that between 300 and 400 PTI supporters gathered on Adiala Road, responding to a call from PTI leader Aliya Hamza. The crowd, as outlined in the first information report (FIR) later registered by authorities, began raising slogans against the Government of Pakistan and state institutions, blocking the road and causing significant inconvenience to local residents and commuters. The FIR alleged that police officers repeatedly and calmly requested the protesters to disperse, warning them that their actions endangered patients, commuters, and residents in the area.
As the standoff stretched into the early hours of Wednesday, December 17, riot police initiated a crackdown at around 3am near the Factory Checkpoint outside the jail. Officers deployed high-pressure water cannons to disperse the sit-in, leading to chaotic scenes as protestors sought shelter in nearby streets or, in some cases, hurled stones at officials. Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and Aleema Khan herself were among those caught in the water cannon spray, according to The Express Tribune.
Police reported that, amid the confusion, at least 14 protesters were detained at the scene, while others managed to flee. By dawn, police had cleared Adiala Road, removed barricades and containers, and restored traffic flow. The authorities then registered a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act against Imran Khan's sisters Aleema Khan and Noreen Niazi, as well as several prominent PTI leaders and supporters, including Salman Akram Raja, Naeem Panjotha, Qasim Khan, Aliya Hamza, and Raja Nasir Abbas. The FIR cited charges of criminal conspiracy against the state under Section 120 of the Pakistan Penal Code, attacking police personnel, violating Section 144, and other alleged offenses.
The FIR went further, accusing some protesters of abusing police officers, attempting to grab and assault them, tearing uniforms, and obstructing officials in the performance of their lawful duties. It claimed that several individuals incited others to take the law into their own hands, and that some unidentified persons attacked a police check-post vehicle with stones, sticks, and sharp objects, damaging the vehicle. The report also alleged that members of the crowd vandalized property, attempted to scale walls, and sprayed political slogans on surfaces. Most seriously, it accused some individuals of preparing petrol bombs and throwing them toward police, resulting in fire on the road and spreading fear and panic in the area.
By Wednesday morning, the 14 arrested PTI supporters were presented before an anti-terrorism court presided over by Judge Syed Amjad Ali Shah. The court accepted the police request and remanded the accused in custody for three days as investigations continued. Police maintained that efforts were ongoing to apprehend others named in the FIR.
Imran Khan, who has been in jail since August 2023, faces a slew of cases filed after his removal from office in April 2022. Officials have placed restrictions on meetings with him, arguing that such visits have been used for political purposes. The last meeting allowed with Khan took place on December 2, 2025, when his sister Uzma Khan was permitted to see him.
The events outside Adiala Jail quickly reverberated beyond Rawalpindi. Amnesty International condemned the authorities' use of high-pressure water cannons against the protesters, describing it as “a flagrant violation of their right to peaceful assembly.” In a post on X, the human rights organization stated, “Pakistan authorities must respect people's right to peacefully protest and end the disproportionate and punitive use of force.”
Political leaders also voiced concern. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi expressed his unease over the crackdown, joining a chorus of voices questioning the heavy-handed response to the demonstration.
Speaking to reporters after the dispersal, Aleema Khan made it clear that the protest was far from over. She announced that the group would return on Tuesday, December 23, if their demands—especially the right to meet Imran Khan—were not met. “The founder's demand is the restoration of the Constitution, democracy and the rule of law,” Aleema Khan declared, underscoring that their protest was rooted in fundamental constitutional principles. She further questioned the repeated denial of meetings with her brother, asking, “The government should tell us why the family of the PTI founder is not allowed to meet him.”
The government, for its part, has maintained that restrictions on Khan’s visitors are necessary to prevent political maneuvering and to maintain order. Officials have insisted that meetings are being used for political purposes rather than for genuine legal or family reasons.
Meanwhile, the charges levied against the protesters—particularly those under the Anti-Terrorism Act and for criminal conspiracy—have drawn criticism from PTI supporters and human rights advocates, who argue that the state is using draconian measures to suppress dissent. The use of anti-terror laws against political protestors is a contentious issue in Pakistan, with critics warning that it risks criminalizing legitimate political activity and undermining democratic norms.
As the dust settles on this latest confrontation, the question of access to Imran Khan remains unresolved. The PTI has signaled its intent to continue pressing for the right to meet its jailed founder, while authorities appear determined to enforce restrictions and pursue legal action against those involved in the protest. With both sides digging in, the stage is set for further tensions in the days ahead.
For ordinary Pakistanis, the events at Adiala Jail serve as a stark reminder of the country’s fraught political climate, where protests are often met with force and legal crackdowns. As supporters of Imran Khan prepare to return to the streets, all eyes will be on Rawalpindi next week to see whether dialogue or confrontation will prevail.
With the government and opposition locked in a battle over basic rights and political freedoms, the coming days may prove crucial in shaping Pakistan’s democratic trajectory.
