At least 22 people were killed and over 120 others wounded in violent protests across Pakistan after demonstrators attempted to storm the U.S. Consulate in Karachi, officials said Sunday.
The unrest followed outrage over recent U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran that included the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader.
Hundreds of protesters, many expressing solidarity with Iran and chanting anti-U.S. slogans, clashed with police and paramilitary forces who used tear gas and live fire to disperse crowds.
Demonstrators smashed windows, torched a nearby police post, and tried to breach the consulate’s outer perimeter.
The violence spread beyond Karachi, with additional clashes reported in Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar, where police fired on protesters and used crowd control measures to prevent attacks on diplomatic missions.
Aside from the deaths, authorities reported many more injured, some critically, as hospitals treated those shot and hurt in clashes.
Officials have deployed additional security forces around U.S. diplomatic sites to prevent further attacks, and the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad issued advisories urging citizens to stay aware of local conditions.
The protest wave has underscored regional tensions after military action in Iran and raised concerns about broader instability affecting U.S. interests.
