The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan called for an inquiry into the alleged violent treatment of former prime minister Imran Khan’s sisters by police outside Adiala Jail as they peacefully demanded a court-ordained meeting with their incarcerated brother.
Voicing concern over the incident, the ace human rights body noted that both the right to meet prisoners and holding peaceful assembly are enshrined in national and international law.
“HRCP is concerned by reports that the sisters of former Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI were manhandled outside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi while attempting to attend a scheduled meeting with the incarcerated leader,” the Commission said.
Disgraceful & unacceptable!!!
Imran Khan’s elderly sisters were out protesting & instead of showing restraint, police mistreated them.
They were never in politics but when everything fell apart, they stood like a rock for their brother.
Historically, Pakistani women have shown… pic.twitter.com/zj1pmkInjx— Absa Komal (@AbsaKomal) November 19, 2025
Police’s crackdown on peaceful family members of the PTI leader under the dark cover of the evening was widely denounced by civil society and political activists, who likened the mistreatment a symptom of a deeper sickness.
Angered PTI workers and activists took to the social media to raise questions.
“When the powerful treat ancient obligations — religion, culture, family — as tools for humiliation, they betray the soul of a nation. What kind of state allows its security forces to publicly humiliate women, to tear their clothing, to drag their bodies across roads? What kind of religion justifies force against those who come calling in peace? This is not valor, not piety — it is cruelty incarnate.”
The martyrdom of Benazir Bhutto, and the violence that later targeted Nusrat Bhutto, Kulsoom Nawaz, Maryam Nawaz, and Faryal Talpur if all of that was wrong, then the mistreatment of Imran Khan’s sisters is also unjust.
There should be decency and dignity in politics, but the… pic.twitter.com/XmJnNbUY7r— Ahmad Ghuman (@ghuman_ar) November 20, 2025
In its reaction, the HRCP cited witness and media accounts that indicated that family members and party representatives “were engaged in a peaceful protest when police intervened, allegedly using physical force.”
The rights of prisoners’ families to meet their relatives and the right to peaceful assembly are protected under national and international human rights law, it pointed.
“HRCP calls for a transparent inquiry and urges authorities to ensure the rights, safety and dignity of all involved are fully respected.”
Former Prime Minister Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi, who has been unjustly imprisoned in Pakistan’s Adiala Jail for the past two and a half years, was not allowed to meet his sisters despite court orders. Later, the Punjab Police, which is under the illegal government, tortured his… pic.twitter.com/mnrpGIIZTG
— Sara Mir (@SaraMirGilgity) November 18, 2025
Meanwhile, journalists also questioned the absence of the top PTI leadership when the sisters were staging a protest outside the jail.
A journalist noted that hell will not break lose if sisters are allowed to meet Imran Khan.
Analysts also questioned United Nations’ silence over the brutal Police actions.
Heartbreaking 💔
Imran Khan’s sisters were treated like enemies, where are the so-called liberals and shameless human rights champions? pic.twitter.com/67FB7H0osS
— Mudasir Khaaan (@IMudasirKhaaan_) November 18, 2025
According to journalist Imran Khan’s sisters were dragged while journalists were also subjected to violence.
“Imran Khan’s three sisters were dragged, subjected to brutality, and forcibly taken into custody, while other women were also mistreated. This is not only a serious human rights violation but also a clear example of abuse of power by provincial government. Later they were dropped off 30 kilometers away at Chakri Interchange,” Javeria Siddique wrote in a post on X platform.
“During the incident, party workers were arrested and journalists, particularly Harmeet Singh, were also subjected to brutality. We condemn these incidents in the strongest possible terms.”
My deepest concern over the extremely unfortunate and condemnable incidents that took place outside Adiala Jail yesterday night. Imran Khan’s three sisters were dragged, subjected to brutality, and forcibly taken into custody, while other women were also mistreated. This is not… pic.twitter.com/KpBT9RfQg3
— Javeria Siddique (@javerias) November 19, 2025
Khan, the world cup winning former captain and one of the greatest all-rounders joined politics in the 1990s. He was dislodged from the office of prime minister in 2022 through a parliamentary vote.
He has been in jail for the two years on corruption charges in a case, his followers say, did not fulfill requirements of a fair court trial.
Kiran Asim is a writer who covers the U.S., Europe, South Asia, and the Middle East. Her reports and analyses look at the geostrategic issues and contemporary developments and their economic and political implications. She also writes about society and education.
