KARACHI/LAHORE/GILGIT/ISLAMABAD, () March 1(Web Desk) – At least nine people were killed and dozens injured in violent clashes near the US Consulate in Karachi on Sunday, as protests erupted across Pakistan following the reported assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
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Officials at Civil Hospital Karachi confirmed that nine people died and 34 others sustained injuries during unrest on Mai Kolachi Road. Authorities said security personnel used tear gas and baton charges to disperse demonstrators who allegedly breached security barriers near the consulate.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi appealed for calm, urging citizens to protest peacefully and refrain from taking the law into their hands. “You may protest, but peacefully,” he said in a video statement, calling it a day of sorrow for the Muslim world.
The Sindh government expressed grief over the fatalities and announced the formation of a high-level Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to determine the circumstances and responsibility for the incident. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah ordered an impartial probe and stressed that maintaining public order was essential amid heightened tensions.
In Lahore, activists gathered outside the US Consulate, chanting slogans and carrying portraits of Khamenei. Police cordoned off the area to prevent escalation.
Meanwhile, authorities imposed a curfew in Skardu after demonstrators set fire to offices, including facilities linked to the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan. No casualties were reported in Gilgit-Baltistan, though roads and highways were blocked and commercial activities suspended in several districts.
In the federal capital, Section 144 was enforced in Islamabad, banning all public gatherings. Authorities sealed routes leading to the Red Zone and the Diplomatic Enclave, citing security concerns.
Security has been heightened nationwide, with Rangers and police deployed at sensitive installations. Officials reiterated that while peaceful protest is a constitutional right, violence and vandalism would not be tolerated.
