KARACHI/ISLAMABAD: Roads were closed in multiple cities across the country, including in Karachi and Islamabad, for several hours on Friday as nationwide protests were held by religious groups and political parties following US-Israeli attacks on Iran last week and the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.

Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) held rallies in Islamabad today.

A protest rally was also organised by the religious group Dukhtar-i-Rehbar in Karachi, which marched from Imambargah Mehfil-i-Shah-i-Khorasan to Imambargah Ali Raza on M.A Jinnah Road, a press release issued by the organisation said.

Following the protests, M.A Jinnah Road — one of the main arteries in Karachi — was opened for traffic, according to a traffic advisory issued at 7:32pm.

The National Highway along the Gulshan Hadid Mor was also opened for traffic at 3:37pm, another advisory by the traffic police said.

The Karachi Traffic Police had also announced the closure of MT Khan Road, Mai Kolachi Road and the strip between PIDC and Sultanabad ahead of the protests.

Road closures in Islamabad

Separately, Islamabad police said ahead of the protests that Margalla Road and the route via Islamabad Marriott Hotel will remain open for entry into the Red Zone.

In a post on X, police said that “except for these routes, all other entry points to the Red Zone will be closed,” adding that Fazal-i-Haq Road towards China Chowk will also remain closed for traffic. Citizens were advised to use Jinnah Avenue as an alternative.

Traffic from Polyclinic towards Lal Quarter Chowk would be diverted via Luqman Hakim Road, while Saddar Road had been suggested as another option, the statement said.

Commuters travelling from G-6 to F-6 were advised to use the China Chowk underpass or the Seventh Avenue to Jinnah Avenue route. Traffic from Abpara Chowk towards Serena Hotel was also being diverted.

Those coming from Club Road or Bara Kahu were advised to follow the route via Kashmir Chowk, Srinagar Highway, Seventh Avenue, and Margalla Road.

The advisory came ahead of a protest from G-6 to D-Chowk, with all roads leading to D-Chowk also set to remain closed.

The routes remain closed until last updates were received on Friday night.

Demonstration in Islamabad

In the federal capital, the Ittehad-i-Ummat Forum — which comprises the Shia Ulema Council, MWM and Tehreek-i-Bedari — held a protest after Friday prayers, marching from an imambargah in sector G-6/2.

They planned to proceed towards D-Chowk, but the rally culminated midway near Poly Clinic Hospital.

Addressing the protesters there, MWM Vice Chairman Allama Ahmed Iqbal Rizvi criticised the US and Israel, holding them responsible for the problems the world is facing today.

He demanded that Pakistan immediately withdraw from US President Donald Trump-led Board of Peace, which he said had been created to facilitate Israel in its “nefarious designs”.

Rizvi also criticised the authorities over last week’s protests, alleging that security personnel had opened fire on demonstrators.

Eleven people were killed and dozens of others were injured in the demonstrations last week as protesters stormed the US Consulate in Karachi to protest the US-Israeli attacks on Iran.

Fatalities were also reported from Islamabad, Skardu and Gilgit during protests.

Allama Rizvi held the federal, Sindh and Gilgit-Baltistan governments responsible for the deaths of protesters and demanded that citizens be allowed to hold peaceful demonstrations.

Shia Ulema Council Vice President Allama Arif Wahidi urged unity against the US and Israel, holding them responsible for killing thousands in Gaza.