At Least 22 Killed, 120 Wounded In Pakistan As Protesters Try To Storm U.s. Consulate

KARACHI, Pakistan — Violent clashes betwixt protesters and information forces successful Pakistan’s larboard metropolis of Karachi and successful nan country’s northbound connected Sunday near astatine slightest 22 group dormant and much than 120 others injured arsenic pro-Iran demonstrators attempted to large wind nan U.S. Consulate, authorities said.

In nan northbound of nan country, demonstrators besides attacked United Nations and authorities offices.

The unit came aft nan United States and Israel attacked Iran, sidesplitting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Police and officials astatine a infirmary successful Karachi said that astatine slightest 50 group were besides wounded successful nan clashes and immoderate of them were successful captious condition.

President Asif Ali Zardari expressed his “profound sorrow complete nan martyrdom” of Khamenei and conveyed his condolences to Iran, according to his office. He said: “Pakistan stands pinch nan Iranian federation successful this infinitesimal of condolences and shares successful their loss.”

Summaiya Syed Tariq, a constabulary surgeon astatine nan city’s main authorities hospital, confirmed six bodies and aggregate injured group were brought to nan facility. However, she said nan decease toll roseate to 10 aft 4 critically wounded group died.

Twelve group were killed and much than 80 wounded successful clashes pinch constabulary successful nan bluish Gilgit-Baltistan region erstwhile thousands of Shiite protesters angered by U.S. and Israeli strikes connected Iran attacked nan offices of nan United Nations Military Observer Group and nan U.N. Development Programme, section constabulary charismatic Asghar Ali said.

A authorities spokesman, Shabir Mir, said each staffers moving for those organizations were safe. He said protesters many times fought pinch constabulary astatine various places successful nan region, damaged nan offices of a section kindness and group occurrence to constabulary offices. Authorities deployed troops and brought nan business nether control, he said.

The U.S. Embassy successful Pakistan said successful a station connected X that it was monitoring reports of ongoing demonstrations astatine nan U.S. Consulates General successful Karachi and Lahore, arsenic good arsenic calls for further protests astatine nan U.S. Embassy successful Islamabad and nan Consulate General successful Peshawar.

It advised U.S. citizens successful Pakistan to show section news, enactment alert of their surroundings, debar ample crowds and support their recreation registration pinch nan U.S. authorities up to date.

Consulate windows smashed

In Karachi, nan superior of confederate Sindh state and Pakistan’s largest city, elder constabulary charismatic Irfan Baloch said that protesters concisely attacked nan perimeter of nan U.S. Consulate but were later dispersed.

He dismissed arsenic baseless reports that immoderate portion of nan consulate building was group connected fire. But he said that protesters torched a adjacent constabulary station and smashed windows of nan consulate earlier information forces arrived and regained control.

Witnesses said that dozens of Shiite protesters remained gathered astir half a mile from nan consulate, urging others to subordinate them. They said 1 of nan protesters had tried to pain a model of nan consulate, earlier information forces arrived location and dispersed nan demonstrators.

Appeal for calm

The clashes prompted Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to rumor an entreaty for calm.

“Following nan martyrdom of Ayatollah Khamenei, each national of Pakistan shares successful nan condolences of nan group of Iran,” Naqvi said successful a statement.

He described it arsenic “a time of mourning for nan Muslim Ummah and for nan group of some Iran and Pakistan,” but urged group not to return nan rule into their ain hands and to definitive their protests peacefully.

The provincial authorities of Sindh successful a connection besides urged citizens to definitive their views peacefully and warned against engaging successful violence.

Protests successful nan area surrounding nan U.S. Consulate successful Karachi went connected for hours, pinch dozens of Shiite youth, immoderate covering their faces, throwing stones astatine rule enforcement officials and vowing to scope nan consulate, wherever hundreds of constabulary and paramilitary Rangers person been deployed.

Security raised astatine U.S. Embassy and consulates

In Islamabad, constabulary fired tear state and swung batons arsenic hundreds of Shiite protesters, angered by nan sidesplitting of Khamenei, tried to march toward nan U.S. Embassy. The clashes took spot extracurricular nan Diplomatic Enclave, wherever nan embassy is located, and further constabulary had been deployed.

Meanwhile, successful nan northwestern metropolis of Peshawar, authorities utilized tear state and batons to disperse thousands of demonstrators attempting to attack nan U.S. Consulate to clasp a rally to denounce nan sidesplitting of nan Iranian leader, constabulary said.

Shiites besides held a serene rally successful Multan, a metropolis successful Punjab province, chanting slogans against Israel and nan United States.

Mamoona Sherazi, who attended nan rally, said that she was protesting Khamenei’s killing. She described him arsenic a fatherly fig and a beardown sound for Shiites, adding that he besides supported Sunni Muslims facing oppression. “God willing, we will ne'er front earlier America and Israel,” she said.

Shiites besides held a rally and clashes pinch constabulary many times adjacent nan U.S. Consulate successful Lahore, nan superior of eastbound Punjab province, constabulary said. Rallies against Israel and nan United States were besides planned successful bluish Gilgit-Baltistan region. Authorities said that nan authorities has stepped up information astir nan U.S. Embassy successful nan capital, and consulates crossed nan state to debar immoderate further violence.

Shiites dress up astir 15% of Pakistan’s organization of astir 250 cardinal and correspond 1 of nan largest Shiite communities successful nan world. They person often staged anti-Israel and anti-U. S. rallies successful nan past, though clashes of this standard are rare.

Jawad and Ahmed constitute for nan Associated Press and reported from Karachi and Islamabad, respectively. AP writers Riaz Khan and Rasool Dawar successful Peshawar, Babar Dogar successful Lahore and Asim Tanveer successful Multan contributed to this report.