Scores killed in Karachi; Filipino bishops pray

At least eight people were killed when pro-Iranian protesters tried to storm the United States consulate in the Pakistani megacity of Karachi on Sunday, underscoring how anger over the escalating Middle East conflict is spilling into the streets far beyond the war zone.

“We have moved at least eight dead bodies to Karachi’s civil hospitals, while 20 others were injured in the consulate incident,” Muhammad Amin, a spokesman for the Edhi Foundation rescue service, said in an Agence France-Presse report, adding that most of the victims had bullet wounds.

As violence flared abroad, religious leaders in the Philippines urged calm, prayer and solidarity, warning that the widening conflict threatens innocent lives across borders and faiths.

In a social media post, Bishop Ruperto Santos of the Diocese of Antipolo called on Catholics to deepen their commitment to peace and reconciliation. “As Christians, we are called to be peacemakers, to be aware of the suffering of others, and to stand firm in our commitment to peace, justice, and reconciliation,” he said.

Santos warned that war devastates not only the countries directly involved but also the wider world. “When war erupts, innocent lives are lost, families are torn apart, and hatred festers where love should reign,” he said.

He urged the faithful to remain vigilant in prayer and steadfast in hope, appealing for an end to violence and the arrival of lasting peace.

The appeal was echoed by the Archdiocese of Manila, where Cardinal Jose Advincula asked parishes to include prayers for peace in the Middle East in the Prayer of the Faithful at every Mass starting Sunday. He also encouraged Catholics to pray the rosary for peace and reconciliation.

Attacks continue

Senator Bong Go also voiced concern over the escalating conflict, urging overseas Filipinos to stay alert and keep in close contact with embassies. He called on government agencies to prepare for possible evacuations and warned of economic fallout, particularly rising oil prices, as tensions intensify.

Meanwhile, Paolo Martinelli, apostolic vicar of Southern Arabia, called on Catholics in his jurisdiction and beyond to “remain united in prayer for peace” as attacks in the region continued.

Back in Karachi, hundreds of protesters surged toward the consulate after US and Israeli strikes on Iran. An AFP journalist saw young men climb over the main gate, smash windows and reach the driveway before police fired tear gas to disperse them.

Videos on social media showed protesters breaking windows as the American flag flew above the barbed-wire-topped compound.

“We need to remain united. No power can stop us,” one protester shouted. Another said, “We are setting the American consulate in Karachi on fire. God willing, we are avenging the killing of our leader,” as others tried to start a blaze.

Demonstrations were also reported in Lahore and Skardu, with a protest expected near the diplomatic enclave housing the US embassy in Islamabad. The unrest followed US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, which prompted Tehran to vow retaliation.