ISLAMABAD: The United States Department of State on Wednesday ordered non-emergency personnel and their families to depart from US consulates in Karachi and Lahore due to security concerns.
“The Department of State ordered non-emergency US government employees and the family members of US government personnel from US Consulates Lahore and Karachi to leave Pakistan due to safety risks,” the Embassy of the United States, Islamabad said in a statement.
It added that there was no change to the operational status of the US Embassy in Islamabad.
The move comes amid the ongoing conflict involving Israel, the United States and Iran, with Tel Aviv launching strikes on Iranian territory and Tehran reportedly firing missiles and drones at what it described as US interests and bases across Gulf states.
Several senior Iranian figures, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, were reported killed in recent airstrikes. Meanwhile, six US army personnel were also reported killed during the hostilities.
Iranian officials warned that Khamenei’s death would mark a turning point, with the Revolutionary Guard vowing retaliation and declaring that the attacks would not go unanswered.
Following the developments, protests erupted in several countries, including Pakistan, where demonstrators carried black flags and chanted anti-US and anti-Israel slogans.
In Karachi, protesters breached the outer wall of the US consulate compound and vandalised property. At least 11 people were reported killed during firing that broke out amid the unrest.
A day earlier, Reuters reported that US Marines opened fire on demonstrators during the storming of the Karachi consulate over the weekend. Citing initial information, two US officials said it remained unclear whether rounds fired by Marines struck or killed anyone. They also said it was not known whether shots were fired by other personnel protecting the mission, including private security guards and local police.
Visa operations paused
Separately, the US Embassy in Islamabad and the Consulates General in Lahore and Karachi cancelled all visa and American Citizen Services (ACS) appointments following the violent protests.
Initially, the US Mission cancelled all visa and ACS appointments scheduled for March 2 at its facilities in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore, and later extended the suspension of routine visa services through Friday, March 6.
In a notice issued to applicants, the US Mission said routine visa services would remain suspended during the period. Officials did not provide further details about the security concerns but said affected applicants would receive guidance on rescheduling their appointments.