Deadly Protests Erupt at U.S. Consulate in Pakistan

In early 2026, a wave of violent protests swept across Pakistan following the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during joint U.S.–Israeli strikes.

In Karachi, crowds vandalized the perimeter of the U.S.

Consulate, while in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region, demonstrators set United Nations offices ablaze.

Further clashes were reported in Islamabad and Peshawar, as security forces struggled to contain the situation.

In response, the U.S.

Embassy suspended all visa and citizen services, citing severe security risks.

President Asif Ali Zardari urged for calm, but the events underscored the delicate tightrope Pakistan walks between its international alliances and domestic public opinion.

These protests have drawn concerning comparisons to the 1979 attack on the U.S.

Embassy in Islamabad, highlighting the ongoing vulnerability of Western diplomatic missions in the country.