{"id":82845,"date":"2026-03-02T22:12:51","date_gmt":"2026-03-02T17:12:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pamirtimes.net\/?p=82845"},"modified":"2026-03-24T01:35:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T20:35:49","slug":"gilgit-baltistan-unrest-13-dead-curfew-imposed-army-deployed-after-violent-protests-over-assassination-of-irans-supreme-leader","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pamirtimes.net\/en\/2026\/03\/02\/gilgit-baltistan-unrest-13-dead-curfew-imposed-army-deployed-after-violent-protests-over-assassination-of-irans-supreme-leader\/","title":{"rendered":"Gilgit-Baltistan Unrest: 13 Dead, Curfew Imposed, Army Deployed After Violent Protests Over Assassination of Iran&#8217;s Supreme Leader"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Summary<\/h2>\n<p>At least 12 protesters and one security official were killed, scores injured, and critical infrastructure set ablaze as violent demonstrations swept through Gilgit and Skardu following the assassination of Iran&#8217;s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei, in U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. The Gilgit-Baltistan government responded by imposing an indefinite curfew, suspending cellular services, and deploying the Pakistan Army under Article 245 of the Constitution. As of Monday, March 3, the Shia community has suspended the burials of the deceased, conditioning them on government acceptance of a formal list of demands.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Background: What Triggered the Protests?<\/h2>\n<p>The protests erupted in response to the assassination of Iran&#8217;s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei, attributed to U.S.-Israeli military strikes on Iran. The killing sparked widespread outrage among Pakistan&#8217;s Shia Muslim population, with particularly intense reactions in Gilgit-Baltistan \u2014 a predominantly Shia region in the country&#8217;s far north.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>The Violence: What Happened in Gilgit and Skardu<\/h2>\n<h3>Gilgit<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_82852\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-82852\" style=\"width: 307px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pamirtimes.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-82852\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pamirtimes.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-.jpeg?resize=307%2C383&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"307\" height=\"383\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pamirtimes.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-.jpeg?w=588&amp;ssl=1 588w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pamirtimes.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-.jpeg?resize=361%2C450&amp;ssl=1 361w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 307px) 100vw, 307px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-82852\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">UNMOGIP office on fire in Gilgit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In Gilgit&#8217;s Jutial area, seven protesters were killed and more than a dozen injured during confrontations with security forces. The deceased were identified as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Syed Ikram<\/strong> and <strong>Munawar<\/strong> \u2014 from Bagrote<\/li>\n<li><strong>Munir<\/strong> and <strong>Hanif<\/strong> \u2014 from Astore<\/li>\n<li><strong>Kaleem Abbas<\/strong> \u2014 from Naltar<\/li>\n<li><strong>Manzar Ali<\/strong> \u2014 from Jutial<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ajmal Husain<\/strong> \u2014 from Hunza<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Security forces opened fire after demonstrations allegedly turned violent, with protesters reportedly attempting to enter a restricted military zone in Jutial. During the unrest, protesters set fire to the <strong>office of the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP)<\/strong> and an office of the <strong>United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)<\/strong> in Gilgit.<\/p>\n<p>One of the many people injured succumbed to his injuries earlier today, taking the death toll to 8 in Gilgit alone.<\/p>\n<h3>Skardu<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_82847\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-82847\" style=\"width: 1536px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pamirtimes.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-from-Skardu.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-82847 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pamirtimes.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-from-Skardu.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pamirtimes.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-from-Skardu.jpg?w=1536&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pamirtimes.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-from-Skardu.jpg?resize=450%2C300&amp;ssl=1 450w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pamirtimes.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-from-Skardu.jpg?resize=600%2C400&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pamirtimes.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-from-Skardu.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-82847\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Screenshot from a video captured in Skardu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In Skardu, at least five protesters and one security official were killed, with several others injured in clashes with law enforcement. These stats were confirmed by the Medical Superintendent of the Skardu Government Hospital, who further added that two people were in critical condition.<\/p>\n<p>Enraged protesters in Skardu attacked and torched multiple buildings, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The <strong>UNMOGIP office<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>The <strong>Army Public School<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>The <strong>Office of the Superintendent of Police<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>The Office of the <strong>District Police Officer\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>The Offices of <strong>62 Brigade<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>A guest house run by <strong>Green Tourism<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>The <strong>Software Technology Park<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>The <strong>AKRSP building.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Over <strong>two dozen vehicles<\/strong> parked in the office buildings were also set alight<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Rescue teams transported the injured to nearby hospitals, where emergency was declared. Across both cities, a total of <strong>13 people,<\/strong> 12 protesters and 1 security official, were killed.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Government Response: Curfew, Army Deployment, and Communications Blackout<\/h2>\n<h3>Curfew Imposed in Gilgit and Skardu<\/h3>\n<p>The Gilgit-Baltistan government imposed a curfew across both Gilgit and Skardu. All markets were shuttered and traffic stayed off the roads during curfew hours. Commuters from other areas were stopped at entry points and were only allowed into Gilgit at around <strong>12:30 pm<\/strong> following a partial relaxation, during which residents rushed to buy food and medicines. Authorities announced the curfew would be <strong>re-imposed at 4:00 pm in Gilgit<\/strong>. Schools, colleges, and educational institutions in both cities were ordered shut.<\/p>\n<h3>Pakistan Army Deployed Under Article 245<\/h3>\n<p>The <strong>Pakistan Army was deployed in Skardu under Article 245 of the Constitution<\/strong>, a provision that allows the federal government to direct the armed forces to assist civil authorities in maintaining law and order. Gilgit-Baltistan Police confirmed the deployment is intended to provide military support to civil authorities amid the escalating situation.<\/p>\n<h3>Cellular Services Suspended Indefinitely<\/h3>\n<p>The Gilgit-Baltistan government announced the <strong>indefinite suspension of cellular services<\/strong> across the entire region. The communications blackout has complicated independent verification of casualty figures and ground conditions. As of March 2, cellular services were restored in some parts of the Gilgit-Baltistan.<\/p>\n<h3>Anti-Terrorism Cases Filed<\/h3>\n<p>The Gilgit-Baltistan Police spokesperson confirmed that <strong>cases have been registered at the Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) Police Station<\/strong> against individuals allegedly involved in the recent violence in both Skardu and Gilgit.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Funerals and Community Demands<\/h2>\n<h3>Funeral Prayers Held in Skardu<\/h3>\n<p>Funeral prayers for the five youth killed during Sunday&#8217;s protest in Skardu were offered at the <strong>Markazi Imamia Jamia Masjid, Skardu<\/strong>, led by <strong>Agha Syed Baqir Al-Hussaini<\/strong>. The city remained in mourning for a second consecutive day, with large numbers of residents attending the gathering.<\/p>\n<h3>Burials in Gilgit Suspended Until Demands Are Met<\/h3>\n<p>In Gilgit, <strong>Agha Syed Rahat Hussain Al-Hussaini<\/strong>, speaking on behalf of <strong>Markaz-e-Tashayyu<\/strong> and the families of victims from <strong>Millat-e-Jafaria<\/strong>, announced that burials will remain suspended until authorities formally accept their demands. The leadership described the decision as a peaceful and lawful measure to secure justice and transparency for the victims.<\/p>\n<p>The community&#8217;s formal demands are:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Formation of an independent judicial inquiry commission<\/strong> to investigate the Gilgit-Baltistan incidents in a transparent and impartial manner.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Complete medical care<\/strong> for all those injured nationwide.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Financial compensation<\/strong> for families of the deceased and employment for affected dependents.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Immediate legal action<\/strong> against those who allegedly ordered or carried out firing on unarmed, fasting civilians.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Immediate withdrawal of FIRs<\/strong> filed under anti-terrorism laws against Millat-e-Jafaria members \u2014 described by the community as attempts to malign them. (Nationwide, 36 deaths and nearly 200 injuries have been reported in related protests.)<\/li>\n<li><strong>A ban on entry<\/strong> of American and Israeli citizens and NGOs into Gilgit-Baltistan, and the expulsion of those already present, citing concerns over foreign influence.<\/li>\n<li><strong>No imposition of curfews or Section 144<\/strong>, with a warning that such measures risk escalating rather than defusing tensions.<\/li>\n<li><strong>No unnecessary arrests<\/strong>, which the community cautioned could worsen the overall situation.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The <strong>Central Anjuman-e-Imamia<\/strong> and the families of the victims reiterated that they reserve the right to continue postponing burials until all demands are formally accepted. As of the time of publishing, <strong>no official government response<\/strong> has been reported.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Broader Context<\/h2>\n<p>The unrest in Gilgit-Baltistan is part of a wider wave of protests across Pakistan triggered by the assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei. Nationwide, <strong>36 people have been killed and nearly 200 injured<\/strong> in related demonstrations. The deliberate targeting of United Nations offices \u2014 including UNMOGIP, which monitors the Line of Control between Pakistan and India \u2014 marks a particularly significant escalation, drawing international attention to the crisis.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Key Facts at a Glance<\/h2>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th><\/th>\n<th>Detail<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Deaths \u2014 Gilgit<\/td>\n<td>8 protesters<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Deaths \u2014 Skardu<\/td>\n<td>5 protesters, 1 security official<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Total Killed<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>13<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Injuries<\/td>\n<td>Dozens (official figures unconfirmed)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Army Deployment<\/td>\n<td>Article 245, Constitution of Pakistan<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Cellular Services<\/td>\n<td>Suspended indefinitely<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Curfew Status<\/td>\n<td>Imposed in Gilgit and Skardu<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>UN Offices Attacked<\/td>\n<td>UNMOGIP, UNDP (Gilgit); UN sub-office (Skardu)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Cases Filed<\/td>\n<td>CTU Police Station, Gilgit-Baltistan<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Schools<\/td>\n<td>Closed in Gilgit and Skardu<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<hr \/>\n<p><em>This report is based on dispatches from Pamir Times correspondents in Gilgit and Skardu, and online sources. Due to the ongoing communications blackout, some figures remain subject to official confirmation. Pamir Times will continue to update this report as developments unfold.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At least 13 people were killed and UN offices set ablaze as violent protests over the assassination of Iran&#8217;s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei swept through Gilgit and Skardu. The Pakistan Army has been deployed, curfew imposed, and cellular services suspended across Gilgit-Baltistan. Full report from Pamir Times.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":82848,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[285,4682,56],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-82845","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-crime","category-featured","category-gilgit-baltistan"],"better_featured_image":{"id":82848,"alt_text":"","caption":"Thick clouds of smoke rise over Skardu after protesters set fire to government and private properties.","description":"","media_type":"image","media_details":{"width":2048,"height":1536,"file":"2026\/03\/Skardu.jpg","filesize":1279836,"sizes":{"medium":{"file":"Skardu-450x338.jpg","width":450,"height":338,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","filesize":54605,"source_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pamirtimes.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Skardu.jpg?fit=450%2C338&ssl=1"},"large":{"file":"Skardu-600x450.jpg","width":600,"height":450,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","filesize":74967,"source_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pamirtimes.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Skardu.jpg?fit=600%2C450&ssl=1"},"thumbnail":{"file":"Skardu-260x250.jpg","width":260,"height":250,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","filesize":38773,"source_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pamirtimes.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Skardu.jpg?resize=260%2C250&ssl=1"},"medium_large":{"file":"Skardu-768x576.jpg","width":768,"height":576,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","filesize":103894,"source_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pamirtimes.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Skardu.jpg?fit=768%2C576&ssl=1"},"1536x1536":{"file":"Skardu-1536x1152.jpg","width":1536,"height":1152,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","filesize":313625,"source_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pamirtimes.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Skardu.jpg?fit=1536%2C1152&ssl=1"},"jannah-image-small":{"file":"Skardu-220x150.jpg","width":220,"height":150,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","filesize":32663,"source_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pamirtimes.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Skardu.jpg?resize=220%2C150&ssl=1"},"jannah-image-large":{"file":"Skardu-390x220.jpg","width":390,"height":220,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","filesize":42579,"source_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pamirtimes.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Skardu.jpg?resize=390%2C220&ssl=1"},"jannah-image-post":{"file":"Skardu-780x470.jpg","width":780,"height":470,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","filesize":91399,"source_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pamirtimes.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Skardu.jpg?resize=780%2C470&ssl=1"}},"image_meta":{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0","keywords":[]}},"post":82845,"source_url":"https:\/\/pamirtimes.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Skardu.jpg"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pamirtimes.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Skardu.jpg?fit=2048%2C1536&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pamirtimes.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82845","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pamirtimes.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pamirtimes.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pamirtimes.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pamirtimes.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=82845"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/pamirtimes.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82845\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":82850,"href":"https:\/\/pamirtimes.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82845\/revisions\/82850"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pamirtimes.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/82848"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pamirtimes.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=82845"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pamirtimes.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=82845"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pamirtimes.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=82845"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}