At least 20 people were killed and dozens more injured across Pakistan on Sunday as protests erupted following confirmation by the United States and Israel that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed in coordinated air strikes on Tehran.

The unrest spread from the southern port city of Karachi to the northern region of Skardu and the federal capital, Islamabad. Hospital officials and local authorities reported 10 deaths in Karachi, at least eight in Skardu and two in Islamabad, with many others wounded in clashes between demonstrators and security forces.

Most of the rallies were led by members of Pakistan’s Shia Muslim community, which constitutes more than 20 percent of the country’s predominantly Sunni population of over 250 million. Protesters condemned the US-Israeli strikes and voiced anger at what they described as the government’s failure to take a stronger stance.

A protester sets fire near a gate leading to the US Consulate during a violent protest against the US and Israel's attack on Iran, in Lahore, Pakistan, March 1, 2026 / Collected 

In Islamabad, thousands gathered near the heavily guarded Red Zone, home to parliament, key government offices and foreign embassies. Roads leading to the diplomatic enclave were sealed off by authorities as crowds chanted slogans against Washington and Tel Aviv. Some demonstrators attempted to march toward the enclave, prompting security forces to respond with tear gas and rubber bullets. Witnesses said gunfire was also heard.

Between 5,000 and 8,000 people, including women and children, assembled near a major hotel in the capital, carrying placards bearing Khamenei’s image. According to Al Jazeera, several protesters accused the government of betraying their community and failing to uphold promises that the rally would be allowed to proceed peacefully.

Doctors at Islamabad’s government-run Poly Clinic said they had received at least two bodies and treated more than 35 injured people, many sufferings from rubber bullet wounds and tear gas exposure. Similar scenes were reported in Karachi, where clashes near the US consulate turned deadly.

Pakistan’s government has condemned the joint US-Israel military operation that killed Khamenei, while also criticising Iran’s retaliatory strikes on Gulf countries. Political and religious leaders appealed for calm, but tensions remained high as security forces maintained a heavy presence in major cities.

The protests mark one of the deadliest waves of unrest in Pakistan in recent years, underscoring how regional conflict is reverberating across South Asia.

BOB Post