The Gilgit-Baltistan government on Monday imposed a curfew and called in the army after violent protests erupted following the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a reported US-Israel strike on Iran, officials said.
Authorities confirmed that protests spread across Pakistan, while demonstrators in Gilgit and Skardu set fire to the offices of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan. During the unrest, attackers also torched a school, the office of the Superintendent of Police, and the office of the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme.
Army deployment ordered amid escalating unrest
Deputy Home Secretary Ghulam Hasan issued an official notification imposing an immediate curfew and requesting the deployment of the Pakistan Army in Gilgit and Skardu districts. He stated that authorities fear further deterioration in law and order due to large-scale protests triggered by the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The notification directed authorities to enforce a three-day curfew from March 2 to March 4. Officials said they took the measure to prevent untoward incidents and protect human life and property in the affected districts.
Security forces tighten control, limited curfew relaxation announced
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police Gilgit-Baltistan Akbar Nasir announced that police, Rangers, and Frontier Corps personnel will patrol the streets alongside army troops. He clarified that authorities will relax the curfew only on humanitarian grounds for funeral prayers and burials.
Furthermore, he instructed that only local residents of Gilgit may attend funeral gatherings, while authorities will bar individuals traveling from other districts. Officials urged citizens to cooperate with law enforcement agencies and avoid leaving their homes unless absolutely necessary.
