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Anger over Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei's killing in US-Israeli strikes triggered unrest across Pakistan. Protesters attacked the US Consulate in Karachi, burned a UN office and held rallies in major cities.
Hundreds of protesters gathered and vandalised UN office and set parts of the premises on fire.(Photo: X)
UPDATED: Mar 1, 2026 17:58 IST
Protests erupted across Pakistan on Sunday after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in ongoing US-Israeli strikes on Tehran, triggering violent clashes, arson attacks and anti-US demonstrations in several Shia-majority regions.
Violence was reported near the US Consulate in Karachi and Lahore, where hundreds of protesters gathered and vandalised property and set parts of the premises on fire, according to footage and media reports. In the northern region of Gilgit-Baltistan, protesters also set fire to a United Nations office in Skardu and damaged nearby buildings. Authorities across Pakistan tightened security around diplomatic sites and sensitive zones as tensions from the Iran war spilled into the country.
Here are the top developments in escalating protests in Pakistan:
At least 12 protesters were reported killed and over 60 injured after demonstrators breached and vandalised parts of the US Consulate compound in Karachi, triggering clashes and firing; officials have not independently confirmed the casualty figures.
In Skardu, protesters torched a United Nations office building, with fires damaging parts of the complex and nearby public and institutional facilities in the Shia-majority Gilgit-Baltistan region, reported local media.
Demonstrations spread to Lahore, Peshawar and other cities, where crowds gathered outside US diplomatic sites, offered prayers and raised slogans condemning Washington and Tel Aviv over Khamenei’s killing.
The US Embassy in Islamabad issued a security alert, advising American citizens to avoid crowds and monitor local news as protests were reported near consulates in Karachi and Lahore.
A heavy contingent of police personnel was deployed across Karachi’s Red Zone and diplomatic enclave after protesters stormed the US Consulate, clashed with police and set fires outside the compound, with roads leading to key government and diplomatic sites sealed.
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With inputs from agencies
Published By:
Satyam Singh
Published On:
Mar 1, 2026 17:58 IST
