What's going on in Pakistan? The details on Imran Khan's arrest and the riots that followed

Islamabad — Pakistan's major cities were paralyzed this week by violent protests and riots sparked by the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, a national cricket legend-turned political opposition leader, on corruption charges. Khan remains hugely popular in the country of 230 million despite being forced out office last year with a no-confidence vote in Pakistan's parliament, and his arrest has infuriated his supporters.

The streets were quieter Thursday after two days of violence that left at least eight people dead. But the nuclear-armed Asian nation remained on tenterhooks after most leaders of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) political party were taken into custody. The nation's powerful army and current prime minister, who's backed by the military, warned protesters Wednesday that any further unrest would be dealt with harshly.

Here's what to know about the chaos, how Pakistan got here, and what may come next: