At least 22 persons have lost their lives, while over 120 have been injured in Pakistan on Sunday as protests in the southern city of Karachi and the northern regions took an violent turn. According to the Associated Press, the protests saw clashes as the demonstrators attempted to attack the U.S. Consulate.
In the southern city of Karachi, the protests saw the demonstrators moving towards the U.S. Consulate General. This prompted the police and the paramilitary forces to intervene. The AP reported at least 10 persons dead in the port city as the police attempted to prevent the demonstrators from breaching the U.S. Consulate.
Further fatalities have been reported in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region. According to the reports, the demonstrators attacked offices associated with the U.N. and other government offices.
The Associated Press reported 12 persons dead in the region as the demonstrators attacked offices associated with the United Nations. The total fatalities across the country are at least 22.
The U.S. Mission to Pakistan said it was monitoring demonstrations at the U.S. Consulate General in Lahore and “violent protests” at the U.S. Consulate General in Karachi, along with calls for additional demonstrations at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad and the U.S. Consulate General in Peshawar. It said U.S. government personnel were directed to restrict movement until further notice
The United States Mission further stated that due to protests targeting the United States Embassy within Islamabad and the United States Consulate Generals within Karachi and Lahore, all United States visa appointments and American Citizen Services for Monday, March 2, are canceled.
The protests come at a time of high tension in the region. The Associated Press reported the protests in Pakistan as part of the “wider protests” owing to the “worsening confrontation” between the U.S. and Iran. The authorities have not yet given the breakdown of the fatalities by location.
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