Pakistan PM Shahbaz Sharif orders those involved in violence tracked down and arrested
Many cities in Pakistan saw violent protests following former PM Imran Khan's arrest
Karachi: Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif ordered authorities on Saturday to identify and arrest all those involved in violent acts after former Prime Minister Imran Khan's arrest this week sparked deadly unrest.
Khan departed the court premises late Friday night and headed towards his hometown Lahore amidst high security, after a court granted him bail. His arrest in a land fraud case on Tuesday, which the Supreme Court ruled "invalid and unlawful" on Thursday, sparked violent protests by his supporters.
They stormed military establishments, set ablaze a state broadcaster building, smashed buses, ransacked a top army official's house and attacked other assets, leading to nearly 2,000 arrests and the army being deployed in multiple cities. And, at least eight people were killed in the violence.
Khan, who was expected to address his followers virtually later on Saturday, on Friday welcomed the court's bail order and said the judiciary was Pakistan's only protection against the "law of the jungle".
Many cities in Pakistan saw violent protests following his arrest by the anti-graft agency. Khan denies any wrongdoing.
Social media sites inaccessible again
Facebook, YouTube and Twitter were inaccessible in Pakistan on Saturday after having been restored late on Friday, Reuters journalists said.
The Ministry of Interior had instructed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to suspend mobile broadband services across the country and blocked access to Facebook, YouTube and Twitter on Tuesday night. The services were available again on Friday night but on Saturday were again inaccessible, the journalists said.