Amid Pak Protests Over Imran Khan's Arrest, Social Media Platforms Down

Social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube were reportedly suspended in parts of Pakistan, hours after former Prime Minister Imran Khan was arrested at Islamabad High Court on Tuesday.

The sudden arrest has sparked massive protests across Pakistan with Mr Khan's supporters clashing with police and even breaking into the Pakistan Army headquarters in Rawalpindi. Police fired water cannons and tear gas to disperse the protesters, including activists of Mr Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.

As the protests turned violent, social media disruptions were reported across the nation. According to outage tracking website Downdetector, hundreds of users in Pakistan reported trouble accessing YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.

Independent journalists and Pakistan news media also flagged the social media disruptions.

A video showing the former prime minister's dramatic arrest went viral on social media earlier in the day. A large number of paramilitary personnel grabbed Mr Khan and whisked him away to an armoured vehicle.

The video uploaded by PTI's Twitter handles was widely shared along with calls to supporters to come out in the streets and protest the leader's arrest. 

Imran Khan was arrested in the Qadir Trust case which concerns allegations that Bahria Town allotted land worth millions to Al-Qadir Trust, owned by Mr Khan and his wife, the Islamabad police said.

The 70-year-old former prime minister has successfully evaded several attempts to arrest him including a dramatic escape from a police raid where he reportedly jumped over a fence and escaped his residence in Lahore's Zaman Park.