Thousands attend funeral of seven killed near US consulate in Karachi
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• Three more bodies sent to Gilgit
• Condolence meeting at Nishtar Park today
KARACHI: Thousands of people gathered at Numaish on Sunday night to offer funeral prayers for seven people, who were among 10 protesters shot dead during a demonstration near the US Consulate in Karachi in protest over the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Bodies of three other deceased persons have been sent to their native towns for their last rites.
Strict security arrangements were made by police and Rangers to avert any breakdown of law and order.
Carrying red flags, mourners chanted slogans and demanded justice for the deceased, while religious scholars and community elders urged calm but vowed to continue a peaceful struggle for accountability.
Both tracks of M.A. Jinnah Road were filled with people by the time coffins were brought to the venue amid moving scenes.
Later, Ayatollah Ghulam Abbasi Raisi led the funeral prayers.
Earlier, Allama Shahenshah Hussain Naqvi, Allama Shabbir Hassan Meesami, Allama Qazi Noorani, Allama Amin Shaheedi and others held a press conference and announced three day of mourning across the country.
They appealed to the people to hoist black flags as a symbol of solidarity and grief.
They called for the registration of an FIR against the US Consul General in connection with the deaths and demanded the immediate removal of Sindh Home Minister Zia Lanjar over what they termed “brutal firing” in Karachi.
The leaders also announced a condolence reference for the deceased, including those killed near the US Consulate, at Nishtar Park on Monday (today).
Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2026
