By Mashal Khan 

ISLAMABAD - Pakistani authorities on Tuesday arrested the former prime minister Imran Khan from inside premises of Islamabad High Court.

Khan was appearing before the court to get bail in different cases, when police stormed the court biometric room, broke wall glasses, and arrested Khan.

According to his lawyer Barrister Gohar, security personnel also tortured Khan and dragged him from his wheelchair as Khan currently couldn’t walk because of his injuries in his leg. 

“They used force and beaten Khan on the head and his injured leg,” Barrister Gohar said.

Islamabad police later confirmed that they arrested Khan in NAB Al-Qadar case.

Soon after Khan's arrest, massive protests erupted across the country and turned violent.

So far at least two people were killed and dozens wounded in clashes with police and security personnel.

Protesters also entered in some can’t areas and caused damage to properties.

While police also arrested dozen protesters in different parts of the country.

Former US ambassador Zalmay Khalil had strongly condemned the arrest of khan and warned it will have far-ranging consequences.

“It’s painful to watch a country so rich in potential, with an ancient heritage of culture, natural resources, an entrepreneurial spirit and hard-working people, repeatedly be thrown into chaos by its own dysfunctional elites—civilian and military—with some exceptions,” Khalilzad tweeted. 

In a series of Tweets Khalilzad said its very sad for a country that defines its national purpose by its Islamic identity, to present the world with this spectacle while falling further and further behind India on many indicators of a successful society.

“The world must condemn the arrest and consider steps to encourage that country’s establishment to change course.  Countries with strong ties to Pakistan must help its leaders reach an agreement that averts the imminent meltdown.

“The Chinese Foreign Minister was in Islamabad two days ago. Did he give his blessing to the arrest, or was his call for stability ignored?   Saudi Arabia, UAE and other key Gulf states have considerable influence with the Pakistani establishment,” he said and adding “Saudis helped diffuse the 1999/2000 crisis with direct mediation by Prince Megrin. Can they help again? I hope it is not too late.”

Amnesty International also expressed concern over the ongoing situation in the South Asian country and called for show restraint 

“The clashes unfolding between Imran Khan's supporters and security enforcement following the former prime minister's arrest risks several human rights violations. 

“We call upon authorities to show restraint, and ensure any response is in line with the principles of proportionality, legality, necessity and non-discrimination,” said the rights group.

Meanwhile, Pakistani authorities also suspended internet, twitter, Facebook and Youtube across the country to stop the coverage of the protest as the national media already barred to cover the ongoing protest. 

“This restricts people’s access to information and freedom of expression. We call upon the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority and Interior Ministry to immediately reverse this ban,” said Amnesty International.