GUJAR KHAN  -  Aleema Khan and Uzma Khan, the sisters of PTI founder Imran Khan, were released from the District Jail of Jhelum Friday night after the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC), Islamabad, approved their bails in the D-Chowk protest case. They were received by a large number of PTI workers outside the jail. Aleema Khan, speaking briefly with a media representative on the occasion, said that they were kept in total confinement and were not permitted to watch television.

“While the other women prisoners had access to television, we were prohibited from interacting with us,” Aleema said.

“We were restricted to two rooms, with the doors securely shut.” When enquired if their destination was KPK, Lahore, or Islamabad, Aleema stated, “We are not going to KPK to hide; we have faith in Allah.”

Aleema Khan responded to reporters regarding the release of Bushra Bibi, stating that it was a positive development.

Imran Khan’s two sisters were transferred to Jhelum jail on judicial remand on October 12, following the rejection of a police request for an extension of their physical remand by an anti-terrorism court. On Friday, the ATC court in Islamabad granted bail, issuing release orders from the central jail in Adiala Rawalpindi. Subsequently, the individuals were released from jail at approximately 9:30 PM.

While talking to The Nation, District Police Officer (DPO) Jhelum, Nasir Mahmood Bajwa, confirmed that strict security measures were adopted outside the Jhelum District Jail to avoid any unfortunate incident.

Reliable sources indicate that Aleema Khan and Uzma Khan initially travelled towards Islamabad following their release before subsequently redirecting their journey to Lahore under police protection.  

While talking to journalists before the release of Aleema and Uzma Khan outside Jhelum District Jail, Noreen Niazi firmly dismissed the rumours of a ‘deal’ involving the release of her sisters, Aleema Khan, and Uzma Khan, and former First Lady Bushra Bibi. She emphasized that “Imran Khan had already said he would never break a deal.” Ms. Niazi stated that her brother is serving his sentence in prison ‘despite being innocent.’ She also noted that the release of her sisters is being associated with a ‘deal,’ a practice that has been common in the country historically. “Would we have encountered lengthy prison sentences if we ultimately had to sign a deal?” she inquired. In response to a question regarding the trust in the judiciary concerning under-trial cases against the PTI founder, she asserted that Imran Khan was “wrongfully” implicated in fabricated cases. She also claimed that her sisters were unlawfully detained in jail, vowing to seek accountability for these actions.