The security alert cites violent protests in Karachi, demonstrations in Lahore and calls for demonstrations in Islamabad and Peshawar.
A motorcycle burns after being set on fire by unidentified men near the US consulate during a protest against the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Israeli-US airstrikes against the Islamic Republic. Photo: PPI
The United States canceled all visa appointments and services for American citizens for Monday, March 2, at its embassy in Islamabad and consulates general in Karachi and Lahore, after protests and security concerns in several Pakistani cities.
UPDATE: All appointments for US visas and services for US citizens are canceled for today, March 2, at the US Embassy in Islamabad and the US Consulates General in Karachi and Lahore. For more information:
— US Embassy Islamabad (@usembislamabad) March 2, 2026
In a security alert issued on March 1, the US mission in Pakistan said it was monitoring ongoing demonstrations at the consulates in Lahore and Karachi, as well as calls for new protests outside the US embassy in Islamabad and the consulate in Peshawar. He said US government personnel had been ordered to restrict their movements until further notice.
The alert also advised U.S. citizens in Pakistan to follow local news coverage, avoid large crowds, be aware of their surroundings and ensure their Smart Traveler Enrollment Program registration was up to date. The mission said appointments for March 2 had been canceled due to protest activity around diplomatic sites in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.
Read: 51 Pakistanis return from Iran amid war
The warning comes after protests broke out across Pakistan in light of the US killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei in an attack on his home while he was with his family. At least 23 protesters were killed in clashes across the country, including 10 outside the US consulate in Karachi, 11 in Skardu and two in Islamabad.
In Karachi, protesters gathered outside the US consulate, where witnesses reported gunshots and police using tear gas after demonstrators protested outside the main gate, attempting to break into the facility.
Read more: Protests break out outside the US consulate in Lahore
In Lahore, hundreds of people had gathered outside the US consulate and smaller clashes broke out when officers used tear gas to disperse the crowd. In Islamabad, protesters attempted to march on the US embassy, despite heavy security and roadblocks around the diplomatic enclave.
Authorities in Punjab and Islamabad subsequently imposed Section 144, which prohibits public gatherings and rallies, as officials attempted to contain the unrest.
