The US State Department has ordered its nonemergency staff at consulates in Karachi and Lahore to leave Pakistan with their families.
The US Department of State issued an order on March 3, stating that “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.”
“Following the onset of hostilities between the United States and Iran on February 28, there has been an ongoing threat of drone and missile attacks from Iran and significant disruptions to commercial flights,” the US mission said in a statement.
The State Department clarified that there has been no change to the operational status of the US Embassy in Islamabad, which continues to function normally.
US suspends visa services
Earlier, the US suspended all routine services effective March 2, 2026, due serious security concerns in Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar.
The suspension applies not only to the Islamabad embassy but also to US consulates in Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar. All regular services, including visa appointments, passport processing, American citizen services, and routine consular assistance, have been halted until further notice.
Officials said a revised schedule will be announced later, leaving thousands of visa applicants and US citizens awaiting further guidance. The decision follows escalating tensions after reports of the martyrdom of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei triggered widespread protests across Pakistan.
Protest outside US consulate Karachi following Khamenei’s death
It is important to note here that demonstrations broke out outside the United States Consulate after the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a strike carried out by US and Israel.
A large number of protesters gathered near the consulate, chanting slogans and expressing anger over the reported development. As tensions escalated, police used tear gas and fired warning shots into the air to disperse the crowd and prevent the situation from going out of control.
Police temporarily shut down roads linking Sultanabad to Mai Kolachi while traffic coming from Jinnah Bridge was diverted through I.I. Chundrigar Road to ease congestion and maintain security in the area.
Officials have requested citizens to avoid the area until the situation stabilises, as law enforcement agencies remain deployed.
11 people were killed when protesters during the protest outside the US Consulate in Karachi.
JIT formed to probe Karachi US consulate incident
A major development in the probe into the firing incident near the US Consulate in Karachi, as Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Memon announced the formation of a high-level Joint Investigation Team (JIT).
As per details, Memon said that following the tragic incident, the Chief Minister constituted a JIT comprising senior and technical officers to thoroughly probe the matter.
He said the team has been given the task of submitting its report within 15 days, after which the exact circumstances surrounding the firing will be determined.
The minister stated that, due to the seriousness of the situation, investigators are carefully examining all available evidence and closely monitoring the crime scene. He added that the JIT will present a detailed fact-finding report and warned against drawing premature conclusions before the investigation is completed.
Sindh police registers FIR
Police registered three cases on behalf of the state against “unknown persons” on terrorism charges.
Three FIRs were registered against “unidentified 150-200 protesters” for vandalising the US consulate building, resorting to firing and arson.
He said the second FIR was also lodged against unknown persons for setting a police post on fire and arson near the consulate.
The third FIR pertained to violence on Native Jetty Bridge and it was also lodged against “unknown armed men” who resorted to firing, causing bullet injuries to two women and injuries to others, the official said.
The FIRs are lodged under 302 (premeditated murder), 324 (attempted murder) and other sections of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
