RAWALPINDI: The media address by Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, was disrupted on Friday when an egg was thrown at her outside Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail.
The incident, which occurred during a media talk led to the immediate arrest of two women. In a surprising twist, police earlier identified the suspects as “members of Imran Khan’s own PTI party.” The attack has drawn strong condemnation from PTI leadership, who are now demanding foolproof security for their founder’s family.
Later, the police claimed that the “two women “were part of a group of protestors from the All Government Employees Grand Alliance and All Pakistan Clerks Association. They threw the egg after Aleema Khan did not respond to their questions.” Both women were taken into police custody. Aleema Khan then left the scene abruptly.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar strongly condemned the attack. He called it a deliberate attempt to escalate tensions.
The scene outside the jail was tense. Heated exchanges occurred between journalists and PTI leaders and workers. The PTI supporters became agitated when reporters asked questions. PTI leader Seemabia Tahir was also involved in a public altercation over the line of questioning. Earlier, Aleema in her address to the media said that the public atmosphere had shifted and people were expressing their anger against what she described as “oppression”. She said that even police officers were “fed up.” She praised the public’s resolve, citing their steadfastness on February 8 and today. Aleema Khan also relayed messages from her brother, Imran Khan. She said she had informed him about rumours on social media regarding his health. “Imran Khan confirmed he had an ear issue and some eye pain. Other than that, he stated he was in perfect health and had no complaints. Doctors had prescribed medicine for his eye pain,” Aleema said.
She also conveyed Imran Khan’s grief over the recent flood devastation and quoted Imran as calling for everyone to unite and help the flood victims.
In his reaction to the incident, Tehreek-e-Insaf Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram strongly denounced the “shameful and premeditated cowardly assault” on Aleema Khan, calling it the most disgusting display of the illegitimate rulers’ fascism.