Social media, internet services suspended in Pakistan

In the aftermath for former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan's arrest, the interior ministry instructed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to block mobile broadband services across the country.

Social media such as YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and others also witnessed disruptions in different parts of the country, The News reported.

The PTA said that Internet services 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 interior ministry.

On Tuesday, the services were shutdown as protests erupted after 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.

Sources told Geo News that "unwarranted" clips of the protests were shared on social media after which various platforms started experiencing disruptions around 8pm 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.