BADIN: A mixed response was witnessed on Monday in Badin and its surrounding areas, to a strike call given by Dr Zulfiqar Mirza over the registration of three FIRs against him and around 60 of his aides.

On Sunday, Badin police had registered cases against Sindh’s former home minister Dr Zulfiqar Ali Mirza, his 21 aides and supporters and 50 to 60 unidentified people under sections 365, 395 and 324 of the Pakistan Penal Code and H2 and 6/7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act on charges of attacking a police station and forcibly shutting down markets in the district.

Read: Cases under anti-terror act registered against Zulfiqar Mirza

A complete shutdown was observed in Tando Bago, Talhar, Golarchi, Khorwah, Kadhan, Khoski and , Nindo Sheher, Pangrio , Shadi Large, Malkani Sharif and Sangi Furho areas of Sindh where shopkeepers and markets voluntarily closed their businesses.

Partial shutdown was observed in Badin city.

Additional contingents of police and security personnel were called in from others areas of Sindh to patrol trouble spots. Traffic was sparse in the morning, though filling stations were open and roads were not blocked.

Dr Zulfiqar Ali Mirza talking to Dawn, early on Monday, ruled out the possibility of talks with former president Asif Ali Zardari – with whom a bitter rivalry has grown – stating that, "There are two bodies and one grave. One will have to be buried in the grave sooner or later."

He claimed that due the corruption and excesses against him and his supporters, party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari was "mentally anguished". The veteran politician added that the Pakistan Peoples Party chairman was totally sidelined by "his corrupt and wicked father and Ms Faryal Talpur for their corrupt practices".

Read: Serious differences between Bilawal and Zardari: Mirza

He alleged that Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon was "the biggest thief and most corrupt person close to Zardari".

The firebrand politician made it clear that he was not afraid of the death claiming that "Zardari wants to have me killed in a fake police encounter just like Mir Murtaza Bhutto."

He said if SSP Badin Mr Khalid Mustafa came to arrest him he would not hesitate to take up arms against the police official whom the former provincial law minister accused of "acting like the manager of Ms Faryal Talpur".

Also read: Dr Zulfiqar Mirza 'disowned' by PPP

Mirza said that he was not afraid of being arrested, provided that an honest officer like SSP Hyderabad Irfan Baloch came to apprehend him. He claimed that raids were being conducted on the houses of his aides to arrest them and their relatives.

He said that he was not sorry for the violence and protests yesterday in the city and at the police station adding he vowed to fight for his people even at the cost of his life.

Tanweer Ahmed Arain, a close aide of Dr Mirza, told Dawn that police had arrested 14 supporters of Dr Mirza from various areas of the district during overnight raids.

Taj Nohammad Mallah and Imtiaz Ahmed Memon, the local PPP leaders and traders, who are also the complainants in two FIRs against Dr Mirza, told Dawn that if Mirza was not arrested within the next two days they would give a shutdown call for an indefinite period in Badin district.

PPP MNA from Badin Sardar Kamal Khan Chang, PPP leader Nadir Hussain Khwaja and others talking to Dawn also demanded the early arrest of Dr Mirza and his aides nominated in FIRs, as according to them, Dr Mirza after losing his mental balance has become a security risk for the people of Badin district.