KARACHI: A fact-finding inquiry has been initiated into the violent protests outside the US Consulate in Karachi that left 11 people dead and 41 injured following the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The investigation is being led by a committee formed under the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Sindh.
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Several senior police officials appeared before the committee to provide statements and briefings. SSP Shabbir Sethar and AIG Operations Kashif Abbasi were present, while DIG South Asad Raza and DIG East Farooq Lanjhar attended after being summoned. SSP Amjad Sheikh, SSP South Mehzor Ali, SSP City Arif Aziz, and SSP East Zubair Nazeer Sheikh also recorded their accounts of the incident.
During the hearing, SSP Amjad Sheikh presented a detailed briefing on the sequence of events, including video footage from the scene. According to the briefing, protesters marched from the Mai Kolachi Sultanabad checkpoint toward the consulate, where four police vehicles and four motorcycles with personnel were initially deployed.
At the consulate gate, more than 15 officers and officials were stationed. However, the crowd of protesters reportedly exceeded 400 people. Police began advancing after the demonstrators’ behaviour became increasingly aggressive. Witnesses reported that protesters threw stones at the consulate and police personnel, while some demonstrators reportedly returned tear gas shells fired by officers attempting to disperse the crowd.
The committee is reviewing the video footage and assessing whether the level of police deployment was adequate. Sources said additional officers may be summoned for questioning as the inquiry continues.
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The investigation aims to determine the causes of the unrest, evaluate the response by law enforcement, and provide recommendations to prevent similar incidents in the future.