KARACHI: A heavy contingent of police on Friday entered the residence of disgruntled leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party and Sindh's former home minister Dr Zulfiqar Ali Mirza in Phase V of Karachi's Defence Housing Authority and arrested several supporters.

At least four police mobile vans and several armoured personnel carriers took part in the raid.

Security personnel acting on information about the presence of wanted persons who had not been granted bail conducted the raid during which eight to ten supporters of the former provincial home minister, including two of his guards, were arrested.

Read: Mirza spends eight hours in courtroom to avoid arrest

The raiding party left the premises after arresting the suspects though several police vans remain in the vicinity.

Sources say additional contingents of police had been sought for the raid.

Earlier on Tuesday, the disowned PPP leader thwarted the provincial government’s efforts to arrest him as the Sindh High Court on his plea not only restrained law-enforcers from arresting him, but also served show-cause notices on the provincial and city police chiefs for attempting to take Mirza into custody despite his being on protective bail in all 13 cases registered against him and his associates.

Mirza, who had reached an anti-terrorism court at around 11am on Tuesday, had confined himself inside the courtroom for over eight hours as extraordinary security arrangements were made with hundreds of policemen surrounding the ATC which is located adjacent to the SHC.

The former home minister of Sindh and a number of his associates are facing multiple cases in Karachi and Badin.

Earlier this month, Mirza along with his associates was initially booked in three cases under the Anti-Terrorism Act on charges of attempted murder, attacking a police station and forcible closure of shops in a market in Badin district.

But following the registration of cases against the disgruntled PPP leader, the situation in Badin had turned tense when police laid siege to Mirza’s farmhouse to arrest him and his associates.

Mirza has on numerous occasions levied allegations of corruption at the Sindh government. In February this year, Mirza was ousted from the PPP’s central executive committee for his outbursts against Zardari.

Also read: SHC issues contempt notice to Dr Mirza on Faryal’s plea

Later, two more case were registered against him on charges of attempted murder and obstructing public servants from performing their duties.

So far, Mirza has been granted pre-arrest bail in all cases registered against him. Mirza claims all cases against him are politically motivated.