Security alert cites violent protests in Karachi, demonstrations in Lahore and calls for rallies in Islamabad and Peshawar
A motorcycle burns after being set ablaze by unidentified men near the US consulate during a protest against the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Israeli-US airstrikes on the Islamic Republic. Photo: PPI
The United States has canceled all visa appointments and services for American citizens for Monday, March 2, at its embassy in Islamabad and consulates general in Karachi and Lahore, after protests and security concerns in several Pakistani cities.
UPDATE: All appointments for U.S. visas and services to U.S. citizens are canceled for today, March 2, at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad and the U.S. Consulates General in Karachi and Lahore. For more information:
– US Embassy Islamabad (@usembislamabad) March 2, 2026
In a security alert issued March 1, the U.S. Mission in Pakistan said it was monitoring ongoing protests outside the consulates in Lahore and Karachi, as well as calls for further demonstrations outside the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad and the Consulate in Peshawar. He said U.S. government personnel had been ordered to restrict their movements until further notice.
The alert also advised U.S. citizens in Pakistan to follow local media coverage, avoid large crowds, stay aware of their surroundings and ensure their Smart Traveler Enrollment Program registration is up to date. The mission said the March 2 meetings were canceled due to protests around diplomatic sites in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.
Read: 51 Pakistanis return from Iran in the middle of war
The warning comes after protests erupted across Pakistan following the US killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei in a strike on his home while he was with his family. At least 23 protesters were killed in clashes across the country, including 10 outside the US consulate in Karachi, 11 in Skardu and two in Islamabad.
In Karachi, protesters gathered outside the US consulate, where witnesses reported gunshots and police using tear gas after demonstrators demonstrated outside the main entrance, attempting to enter the premises.
Learn more: Protests break out outside US consulate in Lahore
In Lahore, hundreds of people gathered outside the US consulate, and smaller clashes broke out when officers used tear gas to disperse the crowds. In Islamabad, protesters attempted to march toward the U.S. Embassy, despite heightened security measures and roadblocks around the diplomatic enclave.
Authorities in Punjab and Islamabad later imposed Section 144, banning public gatherings and rallies, as authorities sought to contain the unrest.
