On International Women’s Day, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Sindh, President Haleem Adil Sheikh, flayed what he described as the politically motivated imprisonment of the party’s female leaders, highlighting that senior figures like Dr Yasmin Rashid and former first lady Bushra Bibi have been detained for 1,037 and 682 days, respectively.
Mr Sheikh said in a statement that the occasion in Pakistan is being overshadowed by political vendetta. He claimed hundreds of women politicians are incarcerated or facing long sentences merely for their support of democracy, the Constitution, and their party’s leadership.
The PTI Sindh president elaborated on the allegations, stating that Dr Yasmin Rashid has been sentenced to 30 years in prison. He referred to the wife of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi, as a victim of “political persecution.”
The party also identified several other members, including Firdous Raye, Sanam Javed, Falak Javed, Kanwal Shoaib, Aliya Hamza, Zartaj Gul, and Khadija Shah, as individuals who are continuing their struggle while under imprisonment, facing sentences, or being forcibly displaced.
Rizwan Niazi, PTI Sindh Vice President, remarked that women have a pivotal role in the progress and stability of any society, adding that the party’s female affiliates have consistently shown courage and resilience during challenging times.
Raja Azhar, PTI Karachi Division president paid tribute to Shaukat Khanum, the mother of the party’s founder Imran Khan, stating her life remains a shining example of leadership and sacrifice.
Mansoor Ahmed Sheikh, a senior party official in Karachi, emphasised that PTI’s female members had consistently been at the vanguard of the campaign for democracy and citizens’ rights. ‘We salute these brave women who continue their struggle despite imprisonment and political pressure,’ he said.
The party concluded by lauding the courage, sacrifice, and perseverance of all these women, describing them as the true symbol of the fight for democracy and constitutional supremacy in Pakistan.