10 Killed in Pakistan Protests After Assassination of Ali Khamenei; Violence Erupts at US Consulate Karachi

Karachi: The death toll in protests across Pakistan following the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rose to 10 on Sunday. The fatalities occurred during a demonstration outside the US Consulate in Karachi, where security forces opened fire on protesters attempting to enter the premises.

According to Dr. Muhammad Sabir Memon, executive director of the trauma center at Civil Hospital Karachi, 31 people were injured. Dr. Sumayya Sayeed, a police surgeon in Sindh, said four policemen were among the injured.

Protests in Karachi erupted immediately after news of Khamenei’s death, while demonstrations also intensified in Lahore. The US Embassy in Islamabad said it was monitoring reports of unrest at the consulates in Karachi and Lahore. Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, urged citizens to conduct protests peacefully, warning against taking the law into their own hands.

Beyond Karachi and Lahore, demonstrators gathered in major cities including Islamabad, Peshawar, and Quetta. According to The News International, security forces used several rounds of shelling, tear gas, and rubber bullets to disperse crowds after protesters clashed with police. Senior police officer Asad Reza said the measures were necessary when the crowd attacked law enforcement personnel.

Reports from The Express Tribune indicated that demonstrators entered the consulate and caused damage. Protests also spread to towns in Gilgit-Baltistan, including Gilgit and Skardu. In Gilgit-Baltistan, protesters set fire to offices of the United Nations Military Observer Group (UNMOGIP), a school, the office of the Superintendent of Police, and the office of the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP). Authorities imposed a curfew in Skardu district, while protesters blocked the Karakoram Highway (KKH) at multiple locations.

The situation remains tense across Pakistan as authorities continue efforts to control the unrest.