Clashes break out during PTI protest outside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail

Supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf clashed with police and each other outside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail on Tuesday during a protest led by Aleema Khan, the sister of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Adiala Jail houses high-profile detainees, including Imran Khan, whose arrest in recent months has drawn international attention and criticism from human rights groups.

According to witnesses, the initial confrontation began at the Dahgal checkpoint on Adiala Road when some PTI supporters attempted to move toward the jail. Police stopped the protesters from advancing, leading to a brief scuffle. Demonstrators and police personnel shoved one another during the exchange.

Police later carried out a baton charge and pushed the protesters back from the checkpoint. A heavy police contingent remained deployed at Dahgal checkpoint following the clash to prevent further escalation.

Aleema Khan was present at the site along with PTI workers during the protest.

Shortly after the confrontation with police, tensions flared among the protesters themselves. PTI workers from different constituencies began arguing over their positions in the protest line, witnesses said.

The dispute escalated into a physical altercation. Workers pushed one another, grabbed each other by the collars, and slapped each other, according to witnesses. The fight reportedly began when workers from one constituency tried to move those from another constituency further back in the line.

The confrontation marked the second physical clash during the protest, following the earlier scuffle between PTI supporters and police.

The unrest comes amid growing international scrutiny of political tensions in Pakistan, where frequent demonstrations and arrests of high-profile politicians have raised concerns among foreign governments and media about political stability in the country.

No immediate information was available about injuries or arrests.