DM Monitoring
KARACHI/LAHORE/GILGIT/ISLAMABAD/DI KHAN: Ten people were killed in Karachi and two in Islamabad as protests erupted countrywide against the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli attacks.
The situation warranted Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to issue an appeal, urging people to remain peaceful.
“Today is a sorrowful day for the entire Muslim ummah, Pakistan’s public and Iran’s public,” he said in a video statement.
Stating that every Pakistani citizen was as aggrieved as Iranians, Naqvi said, “My only request is that we all stand with you, but please do not take the law into your hands. You may protest but peacefully.”
Karachi clashes
In Karachi, protesters clashed with law enforcement personnel near the US Consulate on Mai Kolachi Road. Law enforcement personnel resorted to teargas shelling and baton-charge to control the situation.
Subsequently, Section 144 was also extended across Sindh. According to the Home Department, all kinds of wall chalking, protests, demonstrations, sit-ins, rallies, and display of arms were banned throughout the province for one month, effective from March 1.
However, the guards of registered private security companies were allowed to carry weapons at places of duty during work hours, but they were prohibited from displaying or brandishing weapons during movement in vehicles.
According to a statement by Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed listing all casualties, eight bodies were brought to Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK), while two succumbed to their injuries, taking the deaths in the US Consulate incident to 10.
A total of 62 people were injured near US Consulate, with 41 taken to CHK’S SMBBIT, seven taken to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), eight taken to Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), and six taken to Fatimiyah Hospital.
Separately, eight persons injured during protests at Native Jetty and Numaish Chowrangi were brought to SMBBIT, while three wounded in a protest in Paposh Nagar were taken to JPMC.
This took the total number of people injured in protests across the metropolis to 73, Dr Syed’s statement said.
Out of them, 14 remained admitted in hospitals, while the rest were discharged after treatment, it added.
Of those admitted, six were in a critical condition — two at SMMBIT, two at AKUH and one at JPMC.
In its statement, the US Embassy in Islamabad said: “We are monitoring reports of ongoing demonstrations at the US Consulate Generals in Karachi and Lahore, as well as calls for additional demonstrations at the US Embassy in Islamabad and the Consulate General in Peshawar.
“We advise US citizens in Pakistan to monitor local news and observe good personal security practices, including being aware of your surroundings, avoiding large crowds, and ensuring your STEP (Smart Traveller Enrollment Programme) registration is up to date.”
In view of the arising security situation, roads near the US Consulate were closed off to traffic.
Later in the day, when authorities tried to place containers to block the roads near the US Consulate, protesters pelted stones, leading to more clashes.
In an official statement, shared by the information minister’s spokesperson Husain Mansoor, the Sindh government expressed “deep grief” over the loss of lives in the clash.
“The protesters entered after breaching the security cordon of the US Consulate and committed vandalism,” the statement said.
However, the government put the number of deaths at six, adding that “several” were injured.
It formed a high-level joint investigation team (JIT) to “impartially review all aspects of the incident”. The JIT will “assess the circumstances under which the incident occurred and what its causes were”.
The JIT will also determine “who was responsible” for the incident.
While the government affirmed the public’s constitutional right to protest, it stressed that “maintaining a peaceful environment was everyone’s shared responsibility”.
“Any kind of vandalism, violence or taking the law into your own hands is inappropriate,” it noted.
The government requested citizens to “express their emotions only in peaceful and legal ways”.
Citizens are urged to express their feelings only in peaceful and legal ways.
“The government wants to keep the situation under control,” the statement said, adding that while citizens had the right to peacefully protest, no one should take the law into their hands.
In his statement, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah termed the incident “extremely tragic” and expressed his deep grief over Khamenei’s death.
“In this hour of grief, the people of Sindh stand in equal solidarity with Iran and all those who are mourning,” he said.
He directed that an impartial investigation be conducted into the US Consulate incident.
“At a time when the country is facing a war-like situation, it is inappropriate to sabotage peace and order,” CM Murad said.
He contacted various religious leaders, including Allama Shahenshah Naqvi, Allama Shabbir Maisami, and others, to urge them to ensure that public sentiments were controlled at all costs.
Allama Naqvi and others spoke about holding a majlis (gathering) at Numaish, the CM Office statement said, adding that Murad directed the administration and the police to provide full security for it.
CM Murad appealed to all religious scholars and people of different schools of thought to guide the public toward maintaining peace and order.
Expressing his deep sorrow over the loss of lives in the US Consulate incident, he said the government cannot allow anyone to take the law into their own hands.
In a video statement, Allama Naqvi termed the consulate clashes “painful” and urged the public to remain peaceful.
He noted that the Muslim community was saddened over Khamenei’s “martyrdom”, adding that people should voice their grief “keeping in mind the sorrow of Karbala”.
Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar sought immediate details about the situation from Karachi Additional Inspector General of Police (AIG) Azad Khan, a statement from his office said.
“No one will be allowed to take the law into their hands,” Lanjar was quoted as saying. He ordered that the security of sensitive installations be made more effective.
The minister further directed that alternative routes be determined to maintain the flow of traffic and that law enforcement agencies (LEAs) remain fully alert and monitor the situation closely.
“Action will be taken in accordance with the law against elements disturbing law and order,” Lanjar warned.
Meanwhile, the Sindh Rangers said it had deployed “heavy contingents of mobile vigilance teams” across the city in view of the prevailing security situation.
2 dead, dozens injured in Islamabad
At least two protesters died and over 30 were injured during clashes with law enforcement personnel near the Diplomatic Enclave, where people had gathered to protest the attacks on Iran.
The clashes came after the district administration had banned all kinds of gatherings under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
According to sources at Polyclinic Hospital, as many as nine injured persons were brought there, but one of them succumbed to injuries.
Sources at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) said a body and 25 injured people were brought to the hospital. The injured included three police officials and two Rangers personnel.
Eight of those admitted to Pims and Polyclinic were in a critical condition.
Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) Spokesperson Hasnain Zaidi, speaking to media, also said that at least two persons had died.
He claimed that as many as 15 protesters were taken into custody and taken to a police station. “We have started efforts to get them released,” he added.
Police resorted to heavy shelling near the Foreign Office building in an effort to stop the protesters from entering the Diplomatic Enclave. The police, backed by Rangers, succeeded in pushing the protesters back and out of the Red Zone.
In the late afternoon, thousands of people reached Aabpara Chowk to march towards the US Embassy for protests over Supreme Leader Khamenei’s assassination.
However, the march was stopped by the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) at Serena Chowk, where shelling was employed, resulting in multiple injuries.
Protesters also manhandled mediapersons, including cameramen and photographers, snatching their cameras and phones and deleting the pictures and videos.
Replying to a question earlier, Zaidi said that as the situation was becoming out of control, MWM chief Allama Raja Nasir reached the venue.
“Allama sahib, who is the leader of the opposition in the Senate, has been addressing the masses,” the MWM spokesperson added.
In an advisory at noon, the Islamabad police said all routes leading to the Red Zone, which houses important government buildings, had been closed.
The Islamabad district administration had banned all kinds of gatherings in the federal capital under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
According to the district administration, all kinds of gatherings and assemblies would be considered unlawful under Section 144. It urged residents not to take part in any such gathering.
“Strict legal action will be taken in the case of any protest, demonstration or gathering,” the administration warned.
Earlier in the day, the interior minister visited various areas of Islamabad and reviewed the law and order situation in the Red Zone, Diplomatic Enclave, and other areas.
He inspected security arrangements and issued orders to ensure foolproof arrangements in the Diplomatic Enclave.
While noting that peaceful protest was everyone’s right, Naqvi said, “Mischief under the guise of protest cannot be allowed under any circumstances.”
He ordered that security arrangements must be complete and comprehensive in every respect, adding, “The law will take its course against disruption of daily life routines.”
Islamabad IG Ali Nasir Rizvi briefed the minister on the law and order situation. Chief Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa, the deputy commissioner and other officials were also present on the occasion.
