UPDATE 4 - Death toll climbs to 21 in anti-US protests in Pakistan over Khamenei killing

UPDATES DEATH TOLL, CHANGES THROUGHOUT, REVISES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE

By Aamir Latif, Islamuddin Sajid and Saadet Gokce

KARACHI / ISLAMABAD, Pakistan / ISTANBUL (AA) – At least 21 people were killed in Pakistan on Sunday during anti-US protests over the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Clashes erupted between police and charged protesters who managed to enter the US Consulate in Pakistan's commercial capital Karachi to protest the killing of Khamenei.

Police fired tear gas and resorted to aerial firing as hundreds of protesters marched toward the US mission in the city's southern district.

Dozens managed to enter the consulate premises, smashed windows, and set fire to a portion of the reception, multiple videos shared on social media platforms showed.

Angry crowds also torched a police check post outside the consulate and burned tires.

Protests also broke out in several other cities, including Lahore, where demonstrators clashed with police on their way to the US Consulate.

The government of Sindh province, for which Karachi serves as the capital, has formed a committee to investigate the clashes and killings of protesters.

Expressing sorrow and grief over the casualties, the government urged the protesters to lodge their protest "peacefully."

- Deadly clashes in Gilgit-Baltistan

At least 11 protesters were killed in clashes with the security personnel in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region during protests against the killing of the Iranian supreme leader, a minister told Anadolu.

Ghulam Abbas, the interim information minister for Gilgit-Baltistan, said that seven protesters were killed in the Gilgit district, while another four others were killed in the Skardu valley.

There are reports that a security personnel was also killed during the clashes. However, there was no official statement available about the death of the security personnel.

Abbas said 40 others were injured.

- UN office set on fire in Skardu

Protesters also set a UN office on fire in the Skardu district in the Gilgit-Baltistan region.

Shabbir Mir, a spokesman for the regional government, told Anadolu that the region is on "high alert" as protest demonstrations are underway in several districts.

In the capital Islamabad, police blocked all roads leading to the Diplomatic Enclave that houses foreign embassies, including the US.

- Tear gassing in Islamabad

Protesters also gathered in the federal capital, initially assembling outside a hotel, where they staged a demonstration.

Police contained the crowd at that location for some time. However, as the number of demonstrators grew, they moved toward the Diplomatic Enclave and attempted to march in the direction of the US Embassy in Islamabad.

Security forces and police blocked access to the enclave and did not permit the protesters to proceed.

The situation turned tense when some individuals attempted to force their way toward the embassy. In response, law enforcement authorities used tear gas and carried out aerial firing to disperse the crowd.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi later arrived at the scene and engaged with the demonstrators, urging them to remain peaceful, and held negotiations with protest representatives, said a ministry spokesman.

Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Islamabad urged its citizens in Pakistan to "observe good personal security practices, including being aware of your surroundings, avoiding large crowds, and ensuring your STEP (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program) registration is up to date."

Separately, Pakistani private broadcaster Geo TV on Sunday said it faced attempts at hacking and disruption for the last 24 hours.

Urging authorities to take notice of the situation, the broadcaster said in a statement on US social media company X that the TV screen was hacked and inappropriate messages were aired.