At least 22 people were killed in Pakistan Sunday amid protests following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, according to reports from the New York Times. The violence underscores growing regional instability in the wake of the offensive, which reportedly left 200 people dead.
In Karachi, at least 10 people were killed attempting to storm the U.S. Consulate, while two died in Islamabad and another 10 in Gilgit-Baltistan. “When Iran is attacked, we feel our faith, our identity and our highly existence are being targeted,” a student protestor in Karachi told the New York Times.
The strikes follow indirect negotiations between the United States and Iran regarding its nuclear program, talks Iranian officials had indicated would continue. President Trump had previously increased the U.S. Military presence in the region and threatened escalation if a deal was not reached.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar condemned the “unwarranted attacks” on Tehran and called for an “immediate halt to escalations” during a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, according to reports.
The escalating conflict presents a “genuine strategic double blow for Pakistan,” according to Dr. Ashok Sharma, Visiting Fellow at the University of New South Wales Canberra at the Australian Defence Force Academy. Sharma noted that Pakistan is simultaneously facing instability along its western border with Afghanistan, stemming from clashes with the Taliban, and now a potential wider regional conflict involving Iran. As a neighbor of Iran, Pakistan is particularly vulnerable to spillover effects, sectarian tensions, and proxy activity, the Times of India reported.
Iran and Pakistan share a complex relationship, having established diplomatic ties on August 14, 1947, the day of Pakistan’s independence. Both countries have cooperated on issues such as combating the drug trade and addressing insurgency in Balochistan, but have also experienced disagreements, including Pakistan’s support for Turkey in the Iran-Turkey proxy conflict, a point of contention for Tehran, according to Wikipedia.
Protests against the U.S. Strikes are also swelling in Iraq and India, with authorities in Jammu and Kashmir urged to allow mourning to proceed peacefully, according to NDTV World. Barron’s reported that protests are anticipated across North Africa, South Asia, and the wider Middle East.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was among those killed in the U.S.-Israeli offensive, though this claim has not been independently verified.
