At least 25 people have been killed in violent protests across Pakistan following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, according to an AFP tally on Monday.
Demonstrations erupted over the weekend in several major Pakistani cities, including Karachi, where protesters clashed with police and attempted to storm diplomatic facilities.
An AFP journalist reported that hundreds of pro-Iran protesters tried to enter the United States Consulate in Karachi, leading to violent confrontations. The office of the Karachi police surgeon said at least 10 people were killed and more than 70 injured, while hospital records reviewed by AFP confirmed nine deaths from gunshot wounds.
In the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region, officials said at least 13 people died during clashes between protesters and law enforcement. Seven deaths were reported in Gilgit, while six others were killed in Skardu.
Authorities imposed a late-night curfew in both Gilgit and Skardu, effective until Wednesday. The army has been deployed to assist in maintaining order.
In the capital, Islamabad, two more people were killed as thousands gathered near the diplomatic enclave housing the United States Embassy. Police used tear gas on Sunday afternoon to disperse crowds attempting to move towards the restricted area.
The unrest followed US and Israeli military strikes on Iran early Saturday that resulted in the killing of Iran’s long-serving Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the killing, calling it a violation of international law.
“It is an age-old convention that heads of state or government should not be targeted,” Sharif wrote in a post on X, adding that the people of Pakistan stand with Iran “in their hour of grief and sorrow.”
During protests in Karachi, demonstrators chanted slogans against the United States, Israel, and their allies. Some protesters broke through security barriers and damaged parts of the consular compound before being dispersed by police using tear gas.
Following the violence, the United States Embassy and the British High Commission urged their citizens in Pakistan to remain cautious.
