Life in Karachi continued as normal on Monday, a day after at least 10 protesters were killed in clashes outside the US consulate PHOTO: EXPRESS
KARACHI:
Traffic authorities on Tuesday reopened several major roads around the US Consulate in Karachi that had been closed since March 1, following deadly protests outside the diplomatic mission.
According to Karachi Traffic Police, MT Khan Road from Jinnah Bridge to PIDC has been reopened for traffic. Both tracks of Mai Kolachi Road are now also open for public use. However, the road from PIDC to the Sultanabad Traffic Section remains closed, and all types of traffic are still prohibited on that stretch, a traffic police spokesperson said.
The closures came after protests erupted outside the consulate following the assassination of Iran’s former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes last month. Demonstrators gathered in large numbers, expressing anger over the incident and directing their protest toward the consulate compound.
The protest quickly turned violent as some protesters attempted to storm the consulate, prompting a response from law enforcement personnel deployed to secure the area.
Clashes broke out, and gunfire was exchanged, resulting in 11 protesters being killed and around three dozen others injured. Authorities said some of the casualties were caused by stray bullets, while others were directly involved in attempts to breach the consulate perimeter.
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Following the unrest, police registered cases under the Anti-Terrorism Act and other relevant laws to investigate the violence. Security agencies also reviewed protocols for diplomatic missions in the city to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The protest and subsequent closures caused widespread traffic disruptions in Karachi. Key arteries near the consulate, including MT Khan Road and Mai Kolachi Road, had been blocked, forcing commuters and public transport operators to rely on alternative routes for more than a week.
The road restrictions affected commercial traffic, emergency services, and daily commuting, particularly in the Clifton and PIDC areas.
Officials said the reopening of MT Khan Road and Mai Kolachi Road on Tuesday follows a review of the security situation around the consulate. “Traffic on these roads has been restored as conditions have stabilised,” a traffic police spokesperson said. “The road from PIDC to Sultanabad remains closed due to ongoing security measures.”
Traffic police have urged motorists to follow detours and exercise caution while some restrictions remain in place near the consulate.
