KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) —

Violent confrontations between demonstrators and security forces in Karachi, Pakistan’s southern port city, as well as in the northern regions of the country, resulted in at least 22 fatalities and over 120 injuries. The unrest was sparked by supporters of the Iranian government attempting to breach the U.S. Consulate on Sunday, according to official reports.

In the northern areas, protesters targeted U.N. and government facilities.

The violence erupted following U.S. and Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Local police and hospital officials in Karachi reported that approximately 50 individuals were injured during the clashes, with several in critical condition.

President Asif Ali Zardari expressed his “deep sorrow over the martyrdom” of Khamenei and extended condolences to Iran, stating, “Pakistan stands with the Iranian nation in this moment of grief and shares in their loss.”

Summaiya Syed Tariq, a police surgeon at Karachi’s main government hospital, confirmed the arrival of six deceased individuals and numerous injured. She later reported that the death toll increased to 10 after four critically injured patients succumbed to their injuries.

Additionally, 12 fatalities and over 80 injuries were reported in the Gilgit-Baltistan region, where thousands of protesters, incensed by the U.S. and Israeli actions against Iran, attacked the offices of the U.N. Military Observer Group and the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP), according to local police official Asghar Ali.

A government spokesperson, Shabir Mir, assured that all personnel from those organizations were safe. He noted that protesters clashed with police at various locations, vandalized a local charity’s offices, and set fire to police facilities. However, he confirmed that authorities had deployed troops to restore order.

The U.S. Embassy in Pakistan issued a statement on X, indicating that it was monitoring reports of ongoing protests at the U.S. Consulates General in Karachi and Lahore, as well as anticipated demonstrations at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad and the consulate general in Peshawar.

U.S. citizens in Pakistan were advised to stay informed through local news, remain vigilant, avoid large gatherings, and ensure their travel registration with the U.S. government was current.

U.S. Consulate Windows Smashed

In Karachi, the capital of Sindh province and Pakistan’s largest city, senior police official Irfan Baloch reported that protesters briefly attacked the perimeter of the U.S. Consulate before being dispersed. He refuted claims that any part of the consulate building was set ablaze. However, he confirmed that protesters set fire to a nearby police post and shattered windows of the consulate prior to the arrival of security forces.

Protests in the vicinity of the consulate persisted for several hours, with numerous youths, some with their faces covered, hurling stones at law enforcement and pledging to reach the consulate, where hundreds of police and paramilitary officers were stationed.

Clashes Prompt Appeals for Calm

The clashes led Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to call for calm. “In light of Ayatollah Khamenei’s martyrdom, every citizen of Pakistan shares in the grief of the Iranian people,” Naqvi stated, urging citizens to refrain from taking the law into their own hands and to protest peacefully. The Sindh provincial government also encouraged peaceful expression of views and cautioned against violence.

Protests Occurred Elsewhere in Pakistan

In Islamabad, police deployed tear gas and used batons as hundreds of protesters, outraged by Khamenei’s death, attempted to march toward the U.S. Embassy. The clashes unfolded outside the city’s diplomatic enclave, prompting additional police presence.

In the northwestern city of Peshawar, authorities similarly utilized tear gas and batons to disperse thousands of demonstrators aiming to approach the U.S. Consulate to protest against the killing of the Iranian leader, according to police reports.

Meanwhile, a peaceful rally took place in Multan, a city in Punjab province, where participants chanted slogans against Israel and the United States.

Mamoona Sherazi, a rally attendee, expressed her opposition to Khamenei’s killing, stating, “God willing, we will never bow before America and Israel.”

Protesters also clashed with police near the U.S. Consulate in Lahore, the capital of Punjab province. Authorities reported that security around the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad and consulates nationwide had been heightened to prevent further violence.

___

Munir Ahmed reported from Islamabad, with contributions from Riaz Khan and Rasool Dawar in Peshawar, Babar Dogar in Lahore, and Asim Tanveer in Multan.