Deadly protest at US consulate raises questions

11 deaths fuel scrutiny of police response

KARACHI:

A day after the assassination of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israel air strikes in Tehran on Saturday, an enraged mob stormed the American Consulate General in Karachi, exposing shortcomings in police performance.

How did protesters manage to cross the entire city and reach the consulate without being stopped by police? Not only did they reach the site, they also entered the premises through Gate No 4. Eleven people were killed and more than three dozen were injured in firing outside the consulate.

Speaking to the foreign news agency Reuters, American authorities acknowledged that US Marine commandos opened fire on those who attacked the consulate building. However, it was not the first time protesters had been fired upon from inside an embassy.

On April 17, 1984, a similar incident occurred outside the Libyan Embassy in London. Protesters were demonstrating against then Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi when a security officer inside the embassy opened fire with an automatic weapon, killing a female police officer and wounding several others.

The Karachi police's stance on Sunday's incident is evident from the cases registered by the state. In those cases, police stated that protesters who entered the consulate were killed by gunfire from fellow demonstrators.

This raises the question of who is responsible for protecting a foreign embassy located within a country's territory. Under diplomatic norms, the primary responsibility for the security of any embassy lies with the host country.

A retired diplomat who had served as ambassador in several countries told The Express Tribune, on condition of anonymity, that "this is an extremely sensitive" matter. "Direct firing cannot simply be carried out," he said, adding that if there is a security threat, the relevant embassy informs the host country.

Senior journalist Zarrar Khuhro said the United States currently has a "most aggressive administration" that believes solely in the use of force. He explained that the external security of any consulate is the responsibility of the country in which the embassy is located.

Internal security, however, is handled by the embassy itself, he said. Some embassies have security arrangements consisting of one, two, or even three layers. Around the world, the internal security of American embassies is often handled by US Marines.

It is also clear that at least one person in the protest was armed, as seen in footage recorded during the unrest.