PTI leader Shehryar Afridi arrested under MPO

• Crackdown intensifies against PTI after May 9 violence.
• Chohan was also nabbed in Rawalpindi; later freed on bail.
• In Sindh, govt declares Ali Zaidi's house as sub-jail.

As the government tightens its noose around Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership, its senior leader Shehryar Afridi was arrested by the police in the early hours on Tuesday, Geo News reported citing sources.

The PTI politician's arrest is a continuation of the authorities' ongoing crackdown against the party, which intensified following the May 9 violent protests after the party's Chairman Imran Khan was arrested from the Islamabad High Court premises in the Al-Qadir Trust case.

The former PTI minister, according to the sources, was apprehended under Section 3 of Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) from Islamabad's Sector F-8.

Meanwhile, in Punjab, former provincial minister Fayyaz-ul-Hasan Chohan was also arrested by the police from Murree Road, Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi.

A large contingent was deployed to prevent him from reaching the Rawalpindi Press Club. A case against Chohan, police said, was registered in Sadiqabad police station on May 9 accusing him of arson and inciting workers during protests.

Chohan is also accused of burning and vandalising the metro station on the Sixth Road. However, the PTI politician was granted pre-arrest bail by the Anti-Terrorism Court till May 18.

The News reported that the police also raided Chohan’s house last night but were unable to apprehend him.

Both Afridi and Chohan join the list of PTI leaders including Asad Umar, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Fawad Chaudhary, Ejaz Chaudhary, Ali Mohammad Khan, Jamshed Iqbal Cheema, and Omar Sarfaraz Cheema, all of whom have been taken into custody after violence gripped the nation following Khan's arrest which was later declared "illegal" by the Supreme Court.

While the PTI chief was released two days after being taken into custody, a crackdown against his party's politicians continues with action by relevant authorities slow down.

The party's women leaders who were nabbed during this arrest spree include Dr Shireen Mazari, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Maleeka Bukhari and others.

In Sindh, the provincial government declared the house of former PTI minister Ali Zaidi's house as a sub-jail.

A notification in this regard was issued on Monday night. Zaidi was also arrested on May 9 by law enforcement agencies following mayhem in the Karchi's Baloch Colony area.

Later, a petition was filed with the Sindh High Court by his family against his detention. On Monday, the Sindh government in a meeting to review law and order situation made the decision to declare the house of Zaidi a sub-jail.