Karachi, March 1, 2026: At least nine people were killed and more than 20 others injured after violent clashes erupted between police and demonstrators protesting US and Israeli strikes that reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei outside the US Consulate in Karachi on Sunday, hospital officials confirmed.
According to the Edhi ambulance service, six bodies and 10 injured persons were initially shifted from MT Khan Road to Civil Hospital Karachi. Officials at the hospital’s trauma centre later confirmed that the number of casualties had risen, with eight bodies brought to the facility and around 20 injured individuals receiving treatment. One of the injured later succumbed to his wounds, raising the death toll to nine.
Dr. Sabir Memon, head of the Trauma Centre, said victims sustained injuries due to firing, baton charges, and stampedes during the unrest.
The violence broke out when protesters gathered outside the United States Consulate Karachi and attempted to move towards the premises, pelting stones at security personnel. Police resorted to tear gas shelling and force to disperse the crowd, triggering chaos in the surrounding area.
Traffic movement in the city’s key arteries was severely disrupted. Authorities closed the road from Sultanabad leading towards Mai Kolachi, causing heavy congestion. According to Karachi traffic police, vehicles coming from Jinnah Bridge were diverted towards II Chundrigar Road, traffic from Boat Basin was given a U-turn at Mai Kolachi Phatak, while vehicles from PIDC were sent back.
Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar sought a detailed report from the Additional Inspector General of Karachi regarding the incident. In a statement, Lanjar said no one would be allowed to take the law into their own hands and directed authorities to strengthen security at sensitive installations across the province.
Meanwhile, authorities in Islamabad sealed all roads leading to the Red Zone, which houses diplomatic missions and parliament. The district administration imposed Section 144, banning all forms of public gatherings. Officials warned that any assembly would be deemed illegal and that strict legal action would be taken against violators.
In Lahore, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the US consulate; however, no violence was reported. An eyewitness, Aqeel Raza, told Reuters that while some demonstrators attempted to damage a security gate several hundred yards away from the consulate, police prevented them without using force.
Beyond Pakistan, pro-Iranian protesters also gathered outside the Green Zone in Baghdad, where the US Embassy is located, reflecting the widening regional fallout following the reported killing of Ayatollah Khamenei.
The situation remains tense as authorities brace for further protests amid escalating regional tensions.
