Imran Khan arrest highlights | Islamabad High Court announces former Pakistan PM's arrest legal

In a statement, amid protests over Imran Khan's arrest, his party PTI has instructed party leaders, workers and supporters to gather outside Islamabad Judicial Complex at 8:00 am on Wednesday. 

Meanwhile, they have also directed that ongoing protests and sit-ins should go on in their respective location will PTI Chairman is released from jail. 

Internet's Observatory, NetBlocks, in an update late Tuesday, said social media restrictions, real-time network data show that total internet shutdowns are now in effect in some regions of Pakistan." 

In a subsequent update, citing live metrics, that social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube are now restricted across Pakistan, adding, "the incident is likely to limit freedom of assembly and the public's ability to seek information." 

Top diplomats from the United States and United Kingdom, on Tuesday (May 10) called for adherence to the "rule of law" in Pakistan after Khan's arrest triggered nationwide violence and protests.

"We just want to make sure that whatever happens in Pakistan is consistent with the rule of law, with the constitution," said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a press conference. 

Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly alongside Blinken, noted that Britain enjoyed "a longstanding and close relationship" with Commonwealth member Pakistan. He added, "We want to see peaceful democracy in that country. We want to see the rule of law adhered to." 

Islamabad High Court has deemed former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's arrest as legal. 

The Punjab government has imposed Section 144 for two days across the state. The Punjab government has cited "serious security threats" for imposing the gathering restrictions.

Indian said it is keeping a close watch on the situation in Pakistan, in view of the developments there. Strong vigil being maintained by the forces along the Line of Control and the international border, ANI news agency reported citing defence sources.

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan was arrested Tuesday during a court appearance in the capital for one of dozens of cases pending since he was ousted last year.

"Mr Khan went into the biometric office for the biometrics. The rangers went there, they broke the windows, they hit Mr Khan on the head with a baton. Mr Khan started to bleed. All the guards present were also beaten," said Imran Khan's lawyer Raja Mateen outside Islamabad High Court, after Khan’s arrest.

Users in Pakistan face problem in using YouTube, Twitter, FB. Internet issues being reported

Two protesters reportedly died in Pakistan's Faisalabad in Punjab province, over 180 km east of provincial capital Lahore. Reports in Pakistani media suggest that the protesters died as army opened fire to disperse their agitation against Imran Khan's arrest earlier in the day.

Punjab's additional chief secretary has called in Pakistan Rangers from Lahore to control the evolving situation in Faisalabad.

After former Pakistan PM Imran Khan's arrest, protesters in Pakistan have entered compounds of army commanders' residence in Lahore and army HQ in Rawalpindi, according to multiple Pak media reports.

Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Aamer Farooq directed the Islamabad police chief, the interior ministry secretary and the additional attorney general to appear before the court within 15 minutes. The three officials reportedly arrived at court after 45 minutes.

"Come to court and tell us why Imran has been arrested and in which case," Justice Farooq said, according to The Dawn.

The Islamabad Inspector General told the court that he had found out about Imran’s arrest from the media. "He has been arrested in a case pertaining to corrupt practices," he told the judge and submitted the PTI chief’s arrest warrant in court.

But arrests in corruption cases in Pakistan are conventionally made by country's National Accountability Bureau. 

"But as far as I know and from what the court staff said, Imran was not arrested by the NAB," Justice Farooq noted. "I will issue an appropriate order if the arrest was in violation of the law," he added.

Imran Khan, former Pakistani prime minister, was arrested on Tuesday (May 9) during a court appearance at the Islamabad High Court in connection with several lawsuits brought against the leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). According to the police, Khan has been arrested in connection with the Al-Qadir Trust case, which also involves his wife and other PTI leaders. 

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Police fired water cannon and tear gas Tuesday to quell protests that erupted in several cities across Pakistan, hours after former prime minister Imran Khan was arrested in connection with a graft case.

AFP correspondents in the eastern city of Lahore reported water cannon being fired, while in Karachi in the south police used teargas to disperse protesters.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif slammed his predecessor Imran Khan for 'defaming the Pakistan Army as an institution again and again'. 

"You rejected the federal government's offer of cooperation and boycotted the legal proceedings. You never had any interest in finding the truth but used the reprehensible incident for your nefarious political purposes," Sharif added.

"It should be clear as day that as a former Prime Minister facing the ongoing corruption trial, you want the legal and political system to be disrupted. In your knowledge, Pakistan has become a jungle, so I would advise you not to go there because the facts are often bitter and destructive. Leave it for another day."

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers took to streets in multiple cities of the country as news of Khan's arrest started becoming public knowledge. Khan's party workers attempted to block national highway connecting Islamabad and Lahore, demanding their leader's release. 

Top lawmakers in Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party claimed that their leader has been abducted by country's army. 

PTI Vice President Fawad Chaudhry tweeted that the IHC has been "occupied by the Rangers" and lawyers "are being subjected to torture".

PTI leader Musarrat Cheema, in a video message on Twitter, said: "They are torturing Imran Khan right now... they are beating Khan sahib. They have done something with Khan sahib."