Karachi: Demonstrators besieged the US Consulate in Karachi on Sunday, setting parts of the compound ablaze as anger spread following news of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death.
Protesters gathered outside the US mission, chanting slogans and burning US and Israeli flags. As tensions escalated, some demonstrators breached perimeter defenses and ignited vehicles and structures near the consulate grounds.
Security forces responded with tear gas and, according to witnesses, fired live rounds at the crowd. Multiple people were struck, and several were reported killed in the ensuing chaos.
Authorities deployed additional police units across the city as unrest spread to nearby neighborhoods. The unrest appeared linked to widespread anger over U.S. actions in the region, local residents said, with Karachi’s large Shiite community among the most vocal in protests.
Despite efforts to restore order, large crowds remained on the streets late into the evening, underscoring the volatile mood in Pakistan’s largest city.
