US Orders Partial Evacuation of Consulate Staff from Karachi and Lahore Amid Security Fears

The United States has ordered non-essential government personnel and their families to depart from its consulates in Karachi and Lahore, citing heightened security risks, the US State Department confirmed on Wednesday.

In a statement, the US Mission in Pakistan said the directive applies to non-emergency employees and family members stationed at the US Consulates in Karachi and Lahore. However, it clarified that there has been no change to the operational status of the US Embassy in Islamabad.

The move comes against the backdrop of escalating hostilities between the United States, Israel and Iran. The conflict intensified after Israeli and US airstrikes targeted Iranian positions, followed by retaliatory missile and drone attacks by Tehran on what it described as US interests and bases across Gulf states.

Iranian authorities said several senior figures were killed in the strikes, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. US officials also confirmed that six American service members died during the fighting.

Iran’s leadership warned that Khamenei’s death would mark a critical turning point, with the Revolutionary Guard pledging retaliation and declaring the strikes would not go unanswered.

In Pakistan, protests erupted following the developments. In Karachi, demonstrators gathered outside the US Consulate, breaching the compound’s outer wall and causing damage to property. At least 11 people were reported killed during the unrest.

Earlier, Reuters reported that US Marines discharged their weapons as protesters stormed the Karachi consulate compound over the weekend. Citing preliminary information from US officials, the report said it remained unclear whether any of the rounds fired struck or killed individuals. Officials also said they could not confirm whether other security personnel, including private guards or local police, had opened fire.

Separately, the US Embassy in Islamabad and the Consulates General in Karachi and Lahore have suspended visa processing and American Citizen Services (ACS) in response to the security situation.

Initially, all visa and ACS appointments scheduled for March 2 were cancelled at facilities in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore. The suspension has since been extended through Friday, March 6, with routine visa services remaining paused during this period.

Authorities said affected applicants would receive instructions on rescheduling but did not provide additional details regarding the specific security threats prompting the measures.