KARACHI, Pakistan — Violent confrontations erupted outside the U.S. Consulate in Karachi on Sunday, resulting in at least six fatalities and approximately a dozen injuries after Pakistani security forces clashed with demonstrators. The protest was triggered by a U.S.-Israel military operation in Iran that resulted in the death of the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
According to local authorities, hundreds of protesters attempted to storm the diplomatic compound in Pakistan’s largest city. Senior police official Irfan Baloch confirmed that while demonstrators briefly breached the consulate’s perimeter, they were subsequently dispersed by paramilitary and police units. Baloch asserted that ‘the situation is now fully under our control,’ dismissing reports of significant damage to the consulate building as unfounded.
Medical authorities at Karachi’s main government hospital, including police surgeon Summaiya Syed Tariq, verified that six casualties and multiple injured individuals had been admitted for treatment. The protesters reportedly set fire to a nearby police post and shattered windows before security forces intervened to regain control of the area.
The demonstrations weren’t confined to Karachi, as parallel protests emerged near the U.S. Consulate in Lahore, capital of eastern Punjab province. Police official Faisal Kamran reported that authorities prevented demonstrators from approaching the diplomatic facility and dispersed crowds attempting to march toward the building.
The protests were primarily organized by Pakistan’s Shiite community, which represents approximately 15% of the country’s population of 250 million and constitutes one of the largest Shiite populations globally. While anti-American and anti-Israeli rallies have been common among this demographic, the scale and intensity of Sunday’s violence marked a significant escalation from previous demonstrations.