Imran Khan Arrest: Social media platforms suspended in parts of Pakistan amid protest

Amid massive violent protests that erupted across Pakistan soon after the arrest of former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan, social, media platforms such as YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook have been suspended in parts of the country.

Massive violent protests erupted on Tuesday evening in several cities across Pakistan after former prime minister Imran Khan was arrested during his appearance before the Islamabad High Court for one of the dozens of cases pending since he was ousted last year.

Supporters of former prime minister Imran Khan stormed the Pakistan Army headquarters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi and the Corps Commander’s residence in Lahore after his dramatic arrest in a corruption case.

Khan, who travelled from Lahore to the federal capital Islamabad, was undergoing a biometric process at the Islamabad High Court when the paramilitary Rangers broke open the glass window and arrested him after beating lawyers and Khan’s security staff.

Soon after the news of his arrest by the Rangers spread, protests broke out in several cities across Pakistan. Protesters at several places turned violent and burned police vehicles and damaged public property.

Reports said at least four people were killed and over a dozen injured in different parts of the country in violent clashes between the security forces and the supporters of Khan.

The protests in Lahore and Faisalabad in some areas were still underway.

Khan’s supporters also torched some vehicles of the law enforcement agencies in Faisalabad.

The protesters also set on fire a toll plaza on the Swat Motorway, according to footage shared by PTI.

Video clips shared by the PTI showed that some protesters also entered the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, the seat of the army while chanting slogans against the arrest of Imran Khan. Section 144 was already in place in Islamabad and authorities had warned of arresting people violating the ban on gathering following the arrest of Khan, police said.

Violent protests also spread to Karachi and Hyderabad in Sindh province and Balochistan’s Quetta where PTI protesters assembled outside Army cantonment areas.

With inputs from agencies.

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