In a tragic turn of events, at least 22 lives were lost and over a hundred individuals sustained injuries amid violent protests that erupted on Sunday in Pakistan’s northern areas and the bustling city of Karachi. This unrest was sparked by the shockwaves felt across Shiite communities following the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The catalyst for these tumultuous protests stemmed from the United States and Israel launching military strikes within Iran, resulting in the death of Khamenei. This act ignited outrage among Shiite populations, leading to widespread demonstrations and a surge in security measures at U.S. diplomatic missions globally.
Karachi, the capital of Sindh province, bore witness to intense chaos as hundreds of protesters attempted to overrun the U.S. Consulate. This incident is part of a larger wave of unrest triggered by the international tensions following the strikes that eliminated Khamenei and numerous key figures in his circle.
During the violent protests outside the consulate, six deceased and numerous injured were transported to Karachi’s primary government hospital. The grim death toll increased to 10 as four individuals succumbed to their injuries at the medical facility, according to Summaiya Syed Tariq, a police surgeon at the hospital.
Reports from local law enforcement and hospital authorities confirmed that at least 50 people were injured in these confrontations, with some victims battling critical injuries.
Irfan Baloch, a senior police official, noted that the demonstrators briefly breached the outer perimeter of the consulate compound. However, they were eventually repelled by security forces, preventing further escalation of the violence.
“The situation is now fully under our control,” Baloch said.
Authorities denied reports that the main consulate building had been set ablaze. But officials confirmed protesters torched a nearby police post and damaged property around the diplomatic mission, including smashing windows before order was restored.
Witnesses said clusters of Shiite demonstrators lingered roughly half a mile from the compound, calling for more supporters to join them. One protester attempted to set a consulate window on fire before being stopped, according to accounts from the scene.
Sindh’s provincial government urged residents to avoid violence and express their anger peacefully.
The Karachi bloodshed marked the most violent flare-up in Pakistan following Khamenei’s death.
An additional 12 people were killed and over 80 wounded in clashes with police in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region when thousands of protesters, angered by the US and Israel’s military action in Iran, attacked the offices of the UN Military Observer Group and the UN Development Programme, local police official Asghar Ali said.
Staff working at the organizations were safe, according to government spokesperson Shabir Mir.
Protesters had repeatedly clashed with police officers in the region, Mir said, adding that they damaged the offices of a local charity and set fire to police offices.
Authorities have since deployed troops and brought the situation under control, Mir said.
In Multan, a city in Punjab province, Shiite demonstrators gathered for a rally, chanting against the US and Israel. One participant, Mamoona Sherazi, said she was protesting the killing of Iran’s top cleric, whom she described as a paternal figure for Shiites.
“God willing, we will never bow before America and Israel,” she said.
In Lahore, police blocked protesters from reaching the US Consulate there. Senior officer Faisal Kamran said authorities dispersed demonstrators after they attempted to march toward the building.
Additional rallies were planned in Islamabad and other cities. The government increased security around the US Embassy in the capital and consulates nationwide to prevent further violence.
Shiites account for roughly 15% of Pakistan’s population of about 250 million and represent one of the largest Shiite communities in the world. Anti-US and anti-Israel demonstrations are common, though clashes on this scale are unusual.
Follow The Post’s coverage of the United States’ airstrikes on Iran:
In Baghdad, protesters mourning the Iranian leader clashed with anti-riot police near the US Embassy inside the fortified Green Zone. There were no confirmed breaches of the embassy itself.
In Erbil, in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region, missile and drone threats triggered air defenses.
Across the Persian Gulf, US diplomatic missions shifted into defensive posture.
The US Embassy in Bahrain authorized the departure of non-emergency personnel as regional tensions spiked. In the United Arab Emirates, the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the consulate in Dubai instructed staff to shelter in place. The US Embassy in Doha, Qatar, issued similar guidance and canceled routine appointments amid airspace disruptions and security concerns.
In Islamabad, the US Embassy canceled visa and citizen service appointments for the following day and restricted staff movement as thousands of protesters marched toward the Diplomatic Enclave.
Even in Europe, fallout from the Iran strikes was visible. In Athens, more than 1,300 anti-war demonstrators marched toward the US and Israeli embassies. Greek police cordoned off the diplomatic compounds, and the protest remained peaceful.
The US State Department issued a Worldwide Caution warning Americans of elevated security risks and possible travel disruptions, particularly in the Middle East.
The United States does not maintain formal diplomatic relations with Iran. American interests there are represented by the Swiss Embassy in Tehran.
Sunday’s violence in Karachi underscored how quickly anger over the killing of Iran’s most powerful religious figure spilled beyond Iran’s borders — and how US diplomatic outposts have become focal points for that fury.
Authorities in Pakistan said investigations into the deadly clashes are underway as security remains heightened nationwide.
