At least nine people were killed and around two dozen injured Sunday during violent clashes with police and paramilitary forces after hundreds of Shiite protesters stormed the U.S. Consulate in Karachi, officials said.
The unrest followed reports that the United States and Israel had carried out attacks in Iran, killing the country’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. Police and hospital sources said at least 25 people were wounded, with several in critical condition.
Summaiya Syed Tariq, a police surgeon at Karachi’s main government hospital, confirmed that six bodies and multiple injured were initially brought to the hospital, but the death toll later rose to nine after three critically wounded individuals died. Karachi is the capital of Sindh province and Pakistan’s largest city.
Senior police official Irfan Baloch said the protesters briefly attacked the consulate’s perimeter but were eventually dispersed. “The situation is now fully under our control,” he said, dismissing reports that the consulate building had been set on fire. He added, however, that demonstrators torched a nearby police post and damaged consulate windows before security forces restored order.
Witnesses said dozens of protesters remained gathered about a kilometre from the consulate, urging others to join them. One demonstrator reportedly tried to set fire to a consulate window before police intervened.
The Sindh provincial government urged citizens to express their views peacefully and warned against involvement in violence.
Elsewhere, Shiite groups held a peaceful rally in Multan, chanting anti-U.S. and anti-Israel slogans. Participant Mamoona Sherazi said she was protesting the killing of Khamenei, whom she described as a fatherly figure and a strong advocate for Shiites and oppressed Sunni Muslims. “God willing, we will never bow before America and Israel,” she said.
Another rally took place near the U.S. Consulate in Lahore, Punjab province. Senior police official Faisal Kamran said demonstrators were prevented from reaching the consulate and were dispersed when they attempted to march toward it.
Additional rallies were planned in Islamabad and other cities. Authorities said security has been strengthened at the U.S. Embassy and consulates nationwide to prevent further violence.
Shiites comprise roughly 15% of Pakistan’s population of about 250 million, forming one of the world’s largest Shiite communities. While anti-U.S. and anti-Israel protests have occurred in the past, clashes of this scale are rare.