Karachi, Pakistan: At least Ten people were killed and around two dozen injured after violent clashes erupted between protesters and security forces outside the U.S. Consulate in Karachi on Sunday, officials said.
The unrest followed reports of U.S.-Israel airstrikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Hundreds of Shiite protesters gathered near the consulate, with some attempting to breach the perimeter. Police and paramilitary Rangers were deployed to control the situation.
Summaiya Syed Tariq, a police surgeon at Karachi’s main government hospital, confirmed that six bodies were initially brought in, while three critically injured individuals later succumbed to their injuries, raising the death toll to Ten. At least 25 others were wounded, some in critical condition.
Senior police official Irfan Baloch said protesters briefly attacked the outer boundary of the consulate and torched a nearby police post. He dismissed reports that the consulate building was set on fire, stating that security forces regained control of the area.
US Issues Advisory
The U.S. Embassy in Pakistan said it was monitoring demonstrations at its consulates in Karachi and Lahore, as well as calls for protests in Islamabad and Peshawar. It advised American citizens to avoid large gatherings and remain vigilant.
Government Appeals for Calm
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi urged citizens to remain peaceful.
“Following the martyrdom of Ayatollah Khamenei, every citizen of Pakistan shares in the grief of the people of Iran,” he said, describing it as a day of mourning for the Muslim world. However, he appealed to protesters not to take the law into their own hands.
The Sindh provincial government also called for restraint and warned against violence.
Protests Spread to Other Cities
Peaceful rallies were also held in Multan and near the U.S. Consulate in Lahore. Authorities have heightened security around diplomatic missions across the country to prevent further unrest.
Shiites make up about 15% of Pakistan’s 250 million population and have frequently staged anti-U.S. and anti-Israel demonstrations, though clashes of this scale are rare.
The situation in Karachi remained tense as security forces continued to patrol the area late into the evening.