Internet suspended in Pakistan for an indefinite time amid Imran Khan's arrest

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on Wednesday said that internet services across the country will remain suspended for an indefinite period. The authority confirmed that the decision to block mobile broadband services was taken on the directives of the Ministry of Interior, Geo News reported.

On Tuesday, the services were shutdown as protests erupted after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan`s was arrested from the Islamabad High Court premises in the Al-Qadir Trust case. Moreover, major social media sites including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are also reportedly down for many users in Pakistan as they are unable to access these platforms since Tuesday, Geo News reported.

Videos of violent protests were shared widely on social media platforms after unrest flared up following the former Prime Minister`s arrest, after which mobile broadband services were blocked.

A PTA spokesperson had said that the regulatory authority was also receiving reports of social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, being down. However, these reports could not be confirmed, she added. Sources told Geo News that "unwarranted" clips of the protests were shared on social media after which various platforms started experiencing disruptions around 8 p.m. on Tuesday, causing problems for citizens.

"Not much works without the internet in today`s day and age and although I am no longer a working professional, tuning into the TV to follow the news on such a politically charged day is second nature to me. But I had an error message greet me because even my television channel subscription is tied to my internet services," Sameen Daud Khan, a researcher who worked on Pakistan internet, said.