Islamabad, March 7 – A leading international human rights organization has expressed grave concerns over the deaths of at least 26 people during protests that erupted across Pakistan following the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, last week.
Amnesty International has called for a thorough, independent, impartial, and effective investigation into the deaths, injuries, and the use of force by security personnel during the March 1 protests.
Citing reports, the rights body stated that as many as 10 people were killed and 96 injured outside the US Consulate in Karachi after protesters breached the premises. Several reports indicate that gunfire was used against protesters, with many of those taken to hospitals having gunshot wounds.
According to Amnesty International, at least two protesters were killed and over 30 injured near the Diplomatic Enclave in Islamabad, as protesters reported the use of kinetic impact projectiles and tear gas canisters.
Additionally, the rights body said that 14 people, including a soldier, were killed in the Skardu region of Pakistan-occupied Gilgit Baltistan (PoGB), where the protesters also set fire to the office of the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), a school, and some municipal offices.
Condemning the incidents, Babu Ram Pant, Amnesty International's Deputy Regional Director for South Asia, said, "The killing of protesters and reports of the use of lethal ammunition by security forces against these assemblies raise serious concerns about the unlawful use of force. Protesters have a right to gather peacefully and express dissent, even in moments of heightened tension. During such crises, security forces must demonstrate their commitment to protecting life and safeguarding peaceful assembly.
"Even in instances where some protesters turn violent, law enforcement must assess the situation on a case-by-case basis, exercise restraint, and use force only where absolutely necessary. Any force must be proportionate to the seriousness of the offence and legitimate objective, and used solely against those engaged in violence," he said.
Highlighting that lethal force may only be used as a last resort and only be targeted against those posing an imminent threat to life, Pant further said that the Pakistani authorities must act with restraint to avoid further serious injury and loss of life during future protests.
"Furthermore, they must take all measures to fulfill their positive obligation to facilitate the right to freedom of peaceful assemblies," he noted.
Calling for a comprehensive investigation into the incidents, Pant said, "The families of those killed and the people injured have the right to a remedy."
