Protests erupt in different cities across country

2026-03-01 - 21:53

10 dead in violent clashes near US Consulate in Karachi; Teargas shelling near Islamabad’s Red Zone; Section 144 imposed across Punjab, crowd dispersed outside US Consulate in Lahore; Curfew in Skardu after protests in GB; Sindh govt forms JIT, CM orders ‘impartial probe’ Zubair Yaqoob Karachi / Lahore / Islamabad At least ten people were killed and several others injured on Sunday after violent clashes broke out between protesters and security forces near the United States Consulate in Karachi, officials said, marking one of the deadliest episodes of civil unrest in the city in recent years. The violence followed widespread demonstrations across Karachi in response to reports of the death of Iran’s Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes. Though the circumstances surrounding his reported killing remained unclear, anger spilled into the streets of Pakistan’s largest metropolis, where thousands gathered at key intersections and commercial hubs. The most intense confrontation occurred near the U.S. Consulate on Mai Kolachi Road, where protesters attempted to force their way toward the compound. Witnesses said demonstrators hurled stones at security personnel and damaged parts of the surrounding property, with a section reportedly set ablaze. Police and paramilitary Rangers responded with tear gas and baton charges, pushing back crowds that had converged on the high-security zone. Officials described scenes of chaos as protesters scattered and regrouped, with unconfirmed reports of gunfire adding to the confusion. Rescue authorities said 34 people were transported to local hospitals, with at least six in critical condition. The fatalities were reported among both demonstrators and bystanders, though authorities did not provide a breakdown. Tensions rippled through several neighborhoods, including Numaish Chowrangi, Abbas Town and the Tower area, where demonstrators marched chanting slogans condemning the killing of Iran’s supreme leader. Large gatherings also formed near the Native Jetty Bridge and along major arteries leading to the consulate. Heavy shelling was reported near MT Khan Road after prolonged stone-throwing, and a traffic police checkpoint under the Sultanabad Bridge was set on fire. By late afternoon, thick smoke rose above parts of the port district as security forces struggled to regain control. Traffic across the city was severely disrupted. Roads leading to Numaish Chowrangi were closed, and vehicles were diverted from Jinnah Bridge toward I.I. Chundrigar Road. Authorities also sealed routes from Sultanabad to Mai Kolachi and redirected traffic from Boat Basin and the PIDC area. Dr. Farrukh Ali, a senior police official in Karachi’s eastern district, said the situation had been brought under control by evening. “No one will be allowed to take the law into their own hands,” he said, adding that security at sensitive installations and within the city’s Red Zone had been tightened. Officials urged residents to remain calm and avoid spreading rumors, warning that further unrest would be met with strict enforcement measures as authorities continue to monitor developments closely. In an official statement, shared by the information minister’s spokesperson Husain Mansoor, the Sindh government expressed “deep grief” over the loss of lives in the clash. “The protesters entered after breaching the security cordon of the US Consulate and committed vandalism,” the statement said. However, the government put the number of deaths at six, adding that “several” were injured. It formed a high-level joint investigation team (JIT) to “impartially review all aspects of the incident”. The JIT will “assess the circumstances under which the incident occurred and what its causes were”. The JIT will also determine “who was responsible” for the incident. While the government affirmed the public’s constitutional right to protest, it stressed that “maintaining a peaceful environment was everyone’s shared responsibility”. “Any kind of vandalism, violence or taking the law into your own hands is inappropriate,” it noted. The government requested citizens to “express their emotions only in peaceful and legal ways”. Citizens are urged to express their feelings only in peaceful and legal ways. “The government wants to keep the situation under control,” the statement said, adding that while citizens had the right to peacefully protest, no one should take the law into their hands. In his statement, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah termed the incident “extremely tragic” and expressed his deep grief over Khamenei’s death. “In this hour of grief, the people of Sindh stand in equal solidarity with Iran and all those who are mourning,” he said. He directed that an impartial investigation be conducted into the US Consulate incident. Keeping in view the developments, the Islamabad district administration banned all kinds of gatherings in the federal capital under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). According to the district administration, all kinds of gatherings and assemblies would be considered unlawful under Section 144. It urged residents not to take part in any such gathering. “Strict legal action will be taken in the case of any protest, demonstration or gathering,” the administration warned. Meanwhile, hundreds of activists from Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) assembled outside the US Consulate in Lahore at around 11am and attempted to force their way into the building, catching the police off guard. However, a few policemen on routine duty around the consulate managed to push back the activists protesting the US-Israel attacks on Iran. The protesters, including a large number of women, were carrying portraits of Khamenei and raising slogans against the US and Israel. The MWM had scheduled the protest for 3pm, but its activists gathered at the venue much earlier. Police cordoned off the area as activists of Tehreek-i-Bedari Ummat-i-Mustafa marched from the Punjab Assembly to join the demonstration at the consulate. Meanwhile, the Punjab government imposed a ban on gatherings and sit-ins of four or more persons across the province for seven days. A complete ban was also imposed on the “carrying, display, or brandishing of all kinds of weapons (both licensed and unlicensed) or any destruction-causing material in public places” for seven days. “This order shall come into force with immediate effect and shall remain in force for a period of seven (07) days, unless modified or withdrawn earlier,” the notification stated. Separately, as demonstrations intensified across Gilgit-Baltistan after Khamenei’s assassination, curfew was imposed in the Skardu district. Protesters set the offices in Gilgit and Skardu of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) on fire. They also set a school, the office of the superintendent of police, and the Agha Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) office on fire during the protest.