Court approves bail release as nationwide unrest left 23 dead and dozens injured
Security personnel stand guard in front of the US consulate in Karachi on March 1, 2026. PHOTO: AFP
An Anti-Terrorism Court in Islamabad on Monday granted bail to 42 people arrested in connection with vandalism and property damage during protests following the assassination of former Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Judge Abul Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain heard the case and approved bail of all the accused against sureties of Rs 10,000 each.
The police had registered two separate cases against the accused, one at Secretariat police station and the other at Aabpara police station, under charges of terrorism and other charges.
The protests in question broke out after Ali Khamenei was killed during US and Israeli attacks on the Islamic Republic. Crowds of people took to the streets across Pakistan and the situation turned violent in many areas.
Read: Khamenei assassination: At least 23 dead as protests turn deadly across Pakistan
At least 23 protesters were killed in clashes across the country, including 10 outside the US consulate in Karachi, 11 in the northern city of Skardu – where crowds set fire to a UN office and the army was deployed to control the situation – and two in the capital Islamabad.
In Karachi, protesters chanted “Death to America! Death to Israel!” outside the consulate, where gunshots and tear gas were heard in the surrounding streets. Protesters also set fire to a vehicle outside the main gate and clashed with police, and stone attacks intensified as reinforcements were called in from across the city.
The police responded with tear gas and gunshots. Police surgeon Dr Sameeya Tariq confirmed in a statement that another 96 people were injured in the violence.
Read more: Trump says US is in contact with Iran, but doubts Tehran is ready for serious talks
Protesters also took to the streets in other parts of Pakistan, including Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar. In Lahore, police said hundreds gathered outside the US consulate, where small-scale clashes broke out as police fired tear gas to control the crowd.
In the federal capital, thousands of protesters, carrying black flags and shouting “Down with the United States!” and anti-Israel slogans, gathered at Aabpara Chowk and attempted to march towards the US embassy despite the heavy police deployment and the containers placed to seal the Red Zone.
The protesters threw stones at the police, entered the restricted area and reached the gate of the Diplomatic Enclave. Police responded with tear gas and aerial firing, using armored vehicles to push protesters back to Aabpara Chowk.
