Gilgit-Baltistan, March 3 — Protests across Gilgit and Skardu turned violent after reports that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had been killed in joint US-Israeli airstrikes on February 28. The unrest left at least seven people dead and dozens injured.
Demonstrators clashed with security forces as protests escalated into arson and gunfire. In Gilgit, offices associated with the United Nations, including a UN Development Programme (UNDP) office, were set on fire. In Skardu, protesters torched the superintendent of police (SP) office, several government buildings and a semi-government hotel, officials said.
Authorities reported that seven demonstrators were killed after security forces opened fire to disperse crowds; more than a dozen people were wounded. Hospitals in the region declared emergencies to treat the injured, and police and security agencies were placed on high alert in both Gilgit and Skardu.
Senior journalist Manzar Shigri, reporting from Gilgit’s Salma (Nabi) Bazaar, said announcements confirming Khamenei’s death around 7:30 a.m. prompted people—particularly in Skardu—to mobilize quickly. Markets in Gilgit shut immediately, and by afternoon the situation had deteriorated further.
Shigri and local officials said a UN-affiliated office described as a CIP unit in Skardu was also burned, and similar incidents occurred in Gilgit. Gunfire intended to disperse crowds was heard across the Baltistan region, and many markets remained closed. Skardu authorities reported widespread damage to government offices.
District and divisional administrations said they were considering requesting army assistance to restore order, though no army deployment had been reported at the time. Security personnel remained stationed at key locations to try to prevent further escalation.
(This report draws on a syndicated feed and local official accounts; the publisher assumes no responsibility for independent verification of all details.)
