KARACHI: The Sindh government on Wednesday evening announced that two senior leaders of the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Ali Zaidi and Firdous Shamim Naqvi, were being shifted to Jacobabad and Sukkur prisons, respectively, from Karachi.

Mr Zaidi was detained under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance at his residence, while Mr Naqvi was kept at Malir prison on judicial remand in two cases pertaining to May 9 violence.

In a tweet moments before his shifting to Jacobabad, Mr Zaidi, the provincial president of the PTI, took to social media and termed the development a political vendetta.

“My house arrest request was accommodated because of a health condition, asthma & severe strain on my lower back,” he tweeted.

“Now I am being arrested again from Ziauddin Hospital & taken to Jacobabad jail. Am I being punished for saying positive things about our armed forces or condemning the violence of May 9th?”

Earlier, talking to reporters at the Ziauddin Hospital in Clifton, he ruled out any possibility of parting ways with party chairman Imran Khan.

He condemned the May 9 violent protests and attack on military installations, and said he had “deep respect and love” for the country’s armed forces.

“I condemn the May 9 incidents. There’s no question about it. Whatever happened on May 9 was just terrorism. We as a political party always called for peaceful struggle. Imran Khan is known for his non-violent political struggle. We only called for peaceful protests. We have staged number of such massive protests which all were peaceful,” he said.

The administrative judge of antiterrorism courts on Wednesday sent PTI lawmaker Firdous Shamim Naqvi and over 25 workers to prison on judicial remand in two May 9 violence cases.

The court also issued notices to the prosecution on the bail applications of the PTI lawmaker and activists for Thursday (today).

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2023