At least 24 killed in Pakistan during pro-Iran protests

At least 24 people were killed in Pakistan during protests against US and Israeli military operations targeting Iran.

The demonstrations took place near American consulates on March 1, following confirmation of the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Bloomberg reports.

In Karachi, 10 pro-Iran protesters were killed while attempting to storm the US consulate, and 14 protesters, along with one soldier, were killed in the northern Gilgit and Skardu regions, which have a significant Shiite Muslim population.

In response, Pakistani authorities imposed curfews in several regions.

Protests broke out following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in what were described as coordinated attacks by the US and Israel. Shiite Muslims in Pakistan comprise 10% to 15% of the population, forming a substantial minority in the predominantly Sunni country. 

Pakistan hosts the third-largest Shiite community in the world, after Iran and Iraq. A 2015 Pew Research Centre survey indicated that Pakistan was the only country where a majority of respondents—57%—held a favourable view of Iran.

Earlier, in 2020, the US killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad triggered large-scale protests in Karachi and Islamabad. 

By Jeyhun Aghazada