Imran says still holds ‘last card’, won’t use it now: Aleema

ISLAMABAD: Aleema Khan, the sister of Imran Khan, said on Tuesday that the PTI founder claimed to have the “last card” but added he would not use it for now.

Speaking to the media outside the Adiala jail in Rawalpindi after meeting her incarcerated brother, Aleema shared that she was not allowed to meet him yesterday (Monday) despite waiting for six hours. She said that even today (Tuesday), she faced obstacles in meeting him.

She said her brother assured her that his health was fine. However, he is not being provided with newspapers or access to television and receives information only through his lawyers.

She disclosed that they had informed the PTI founder about the recent tragedy at the D-Chowk, which shocked him.

Aleema lamented that families were searching for their relatives in various jails. She quoted her brother as saying that identities of martyrs and arrested individuals were still being verified.

Imran, she said, had directed filing of an FIR against Mohsin Naqvi and Shehbaz Sharif, claiming that a tragedy greater than the Lal Masjid incident had occurred. He urged that this tragedy be raised at both the national and international fora.

Aleema expressed her belief that the recent incident would only intensify the public anger. Praising her sister-in-law Bushra Bibi, she said that Bushra had led the people and questioned why other leaders were not present on the container.

She raised concern about the alleged firing at the D-Chowk, asking if it was necessary to expose protesters to such violence. Referring to her tweet, she questioned why the lights on Bushra Bibi’s container had been turned off, emphasizing the need for better planning in such volatile situations.

Aleema said that no one expected people to be shot at the D-Chowk and stressed that in such circumstances, retreating and issuing instructions from a safe location would have been the wiser course of action.

PTI leader and former minister Ali Muhammad Khan also condemned the use of force against his party workers and criticised government ministers and other powerful individuals for their actions. “Our three demands may have been rejected by the government, but it was our right to speak for our cause. Is this how anyone advocating for the supremacy of Constitution and rule of law will be silenced?” he asked during a media interaction after meeting the PTI founder in Adiala jail.

Ali Muhammad questioned why firing was carried out against peaceful protesters, lamenting the bloodshed. “All the martyrs are ours—workers, policemen, and Rangers,” he said. He said the party had confirmed 12 martyrs so far, with more information still coming in.

Ali Muhammad said that whether at D-Chowk or Sangjani, the protests were PTI’s internal matter and should not be interfered with. He called for a judicial commission to investigate the martyrs on both sides and reiterated that the release of the PTI founder was the key to resolving the ongoing crisis.

Addressing accusations about the Afghan participation in the protests, Ali Muhammad said, “The government and institutions must respond to this claim. We did not bring along any unauthorised individuals.”