Turmoil in Pakistan: Protests Erupt After Ayatollah Khamenei's Death

Pandemonium ensued in the northern Pakistani cities of Gilgit and Skardu as authorities enforced a three-day curfew prior to the break of dawn Monday. The security measures were prompted by ferocious protests that erupted in the wake of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s assassination in US-Israeli strikes.

The unrest saw thousands of demonstrators, primarily Shia, target the UN Military Observer Group and UN Development Programme offices in Skardu on Sunday. Official reports confirm 12 fatalities and over 80 injuries as UN installations and local entities in Gilgit endured significant damage.

Uproar extended to Karachi, culminating in an assault on the US Consulate, leaving 10 dead. The escalating violence prompted the US to suspend consular services, while Pakistani authorities heightened security. Rising tensions amid Shia discontent are further complicated by concurrent Pakistan-Afghanistan border skirmishes.