Islamabad, Dec 31 (IANS) Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders and sisters of party founder and former PM Imran Khan were once again dispersed using water cannons after staging a sit-in outside Adiala jail in Rawalpindi.
The protest took place late Tuesday night after Imran's sisters were again denied permission to meet the former Prime Minister, who is currently incarcerated in the Adiala jail.
Videos shared by the PTI Punjab chapter on the social media platform X early Wednesday showed water cannons being sprayed at protestors.
"In the severe cold, an attack with water cannons was carried out on unarmed, peaceful children, women, and citizens," it said.
Pakistan's opposition alliance, the Tehreek-i-Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP), also shared the same video on its social media platform, accusing the Punjab police of using water cannons against "innocent and unarmed people".
"Outside Adiala Jail, the Punjab Police's reckless use of water cannons against innocent and unarmed people. In the line of fire from the water cannons, Imran Khan's sisters and senior leaders of Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan, senior leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, and hundreds of workers were affected by the chemical-mixed water. We will neither be intimidated by the government's dirty tricks nor will we be scared," the party posted on X.
In a separate post on X, the TTAP stated that police arrested Imran's sisters -- Aleema, Noreen and Uzma, along with TTAP Spokesperson Akhunzada Hussain Yousafzai, PTI MNA Shahid Khattak, PTI lawyer Khalid Yousuf and several others.
A video shared with the post showed Aleema raising her fist in the air as she was taken away in a police van.
In a subsequent statement on early Wednesday morning, the PTI said that Aleema had been arrested, but did not mention the other two sisters, adding that she was taken towards Chakri, where she was later released.
The Islamabad High Court, in an order dated March 24, directed that meetings with Imran be allowed twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
However, the PTI alleged that the Pakistani authorities have failed to comply with the ruling, Pakistani daily Dawn reported.
Reports suggest that the party has since staged sit-ins near the prison to demand meetings with its party founder, the last two of which were also being dispersed using water cannons.
Earlier this month, human rights body Amnesty International slammed Pakistani authorities for repeated use of high-pressure water cannons against "peaceful protesters" outside Adiala Jail.
"These actions raise serious concerns around the safety of peaceful protesters and non-compliance with the court order by the authorities. Recently, the UN Special Rapporteur on torture also condemned Khan's prolonged solitary confinement of 23 hours a day in poor conditions as unlawful and amounting to psychological torture under international standards," it stated.
--IANS
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