Pak: At least 10 killed as protesters try to storm US Consulate in Karachi

Karachi: At least 10 people were killed, and several were injured on Sunday after clashes broke out between police and protesters as they tried to storm the gates of the US Consulate in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi.

The clashes broke out following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday in a joint US-Israeli air strike.

Dr Sumaiya Syed, Police Surgeon, Sindh, said so far 10 bodies have been brought to the Civil Hospital, and some appeared to have bullet wounds. The protesters began gathering on the road leading to the consulate building as soon as the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader was confirmed in the ongoing Israeli and US strikes on Iran.

Syed said that around 30 injured persons are getting treatment at the hospital’s trauma centre. “The injured include four policemen,” she said. Senior police official, SSP Asad Reza, said after the crowd started attacking the police, they had to use tear gas shells and rubber bullets to control the situation. The police also baton-charged the crowd, but one of them later claimed to a TV channel that the police also fired upon them.

A large number of demonstrators were gathered around the consulate, and police opened fire on them while they were attempting to break into the US Consulate.

Sindh Minister for Interior Ziaul Hasan Langar has requested immediate details from the Additional IG Karachi, stressing that “No one will be allowed to take the law into their own hands.”agencies