GILGIT / SKARDU — Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB) has been engulfed by a wave of deadly violence following the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in joint US-Israeli airstrikes. At least seven protesters were killed and dozens more injured on Tuesday as demonstrations in the cities of Gilgit and Skardu escalated into chaotic clashes with security forces. The unrest has targeted government infrastructure and international offices, prompting local authorities to consider calling in the military to restore order.
The violence began early Tuesday morning after local announcements confirmed the death of the Iranian leader. In Gilgit, enraged mobs targeted international organizations, setting fire to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) office. Similar scenes played out in Skardu, where the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP) office was torched alongside the Superintendent of Police (SP) office and several other government buildings. A private semi-government hotel in Skardu was also set ablaze as tensions reached a breaking point.
Security forces utilized live ammunition and tear gas in an attempt to disperse the crowds, resulting in seven fatalities among the demonstrators. Hospitals in the region have declared a state of emergency to cope with the influx of over a dozen wounded individuals. Local markets across the Baltistan region were immediately shuttered as the situation deteriorated, with heavy exchanges of fire heard throughout the afternoon. While the district and divisional administrations remain on high alert, they are currently evaluating the need for formal army deployment to prevent further escalation as anti-US and anti-Israel sentiment rises.
