One killed, 10 injured in clash outside US consulate in Karachi

Islamabad  : At least one person was killed and 10 others injured in clashes between police and protesters outside the US consulate in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi Sunday evening, said organisers of the protest against the controversial film allegedly insulting Islam.

The clashes broke out as police tried to disperse thousands of people marching towards the US consulate in protest against the recently US-made anti-Islam film, said Allama Nasir Abbas Jafri, spokesman of Majlis Wahdat ul Muslimeen, a local religious organization which organized the protest, reported Xinhua.

The peaceful protest turned out violent as police tried to stop the protesters from marching towards the US consulate on the Maulvi Tameezuddin Khan Road of the city.

Police fired at the protesters with tear gas, water cannons and guns as they were retreating towards the consulate, said eyewitnesses.

Protesters fought back by pelting stones at police, and dozens managed to break up the barriers set up by police and reached the consulate.

They set a police check post in front of the consulate on fire. Some of the protesters climbed over the walls of the consulate and dragged down the US flag over one of the gates of the consulate and hoisted their own flag.

A Large contingent of paramilitary Rangers force was later called in to back up the police outside the consulate.

At least 13 protesters were arrested outside the consulate. Protesters agreed to leave the consulate after negotiations with the police.

Organizers of the protest decided to launch a sit-in in protest against the police firing at the protesters somewhere else from the consulate.

During the clashes, at least three motorbikes were torched and six police vehicles were damaged, said local media.

Following the violent protest outside the US consulate in Karachi, the government has order to deploy Rangers at all the sensitive areas in the city, including five-star hotels, schools and government buildings.