Security boosted at churches, missionary schools following deadly anti-US protests across Pakistan

Security has been significantly reinforced at churches, missionary schools and other Christian institutions across Pakistan after violent anti-US protests linked to the escalating US-Israel conflict with Iran left at least 22 people dead and over 200 injured nationwide last week.

Police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed outside churches and several missionary-run educational institutions in major cities, including Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad, amid fears that public anger over developments in the Middle East could translate into retaliatory attacks against Christians and institutions perceived as Western-affiliated.

The heightened security measures follow days of unrest that began after joint US and Israeli strikes on Iran killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday, Feb. 28. Pro-Iran demonstrations erupted in multiple Pakistani cities, with the most dramatic violence occurring in Karachi, where protesters stormed the compound of the United States Consulate Karachi.

According to Reuters, U.S. Marine security personnel opened fire after demonstrators breached the outer perimeter of the mission, leaving at least 10 people dead and dozens wounded. Additional clashes were reported near the U.S. diplomatic enclave in Islamabad and outside the American consulate in Lahore. In the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region, at least 12 protesters were killed and more than 80 wounded in confrontations with police, pushing the nationwide death toll to at least 22, according to local media reports.

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi urged calm, stating that while peaceful protest is a constitutional right, “mayhem and destruction will not be tolerated.” Provincial governments subsequently imposed temporary bans on large gatherings and deployed paramilitary Rangers and army units in sensitive areas.

Christian institutions on alert

Pakistan’s Christian minority – comprising roughly 1.37 percent of the country’s 241.5 million people – has historically faced heightened vulnerability during periods of religious or political tension. Community leaders said the current wave of anti-American and anti-Israeli sentiment has revived memories of past mob violence targeting churches and Christian neighborhoods.

In August 2023, more than two dozen churches and over 80 Christian homes were torched in Jaranwala in Punjab Province following blasphemy allegations against two Christian men. At the time, Amnesty International urged authorities to ensure accountability and protect minority communities, warning of “systemic failures” in preventing mob violence.

Against this backdrop, authorities have taken pre-emptive measures. In Lahore, additional police units have been stationed outside major churches, key missionary educational institutions and Christian-populated neighborhoods. Similar arrangements were reported in Islamabad’s F-6 and G-8 sectors, where several churches and Christian institutions are located.

One of the most prominent precautionary actions involved Forman Christian College University, a historic institution operating under the patronage of the Presbyterian Church-USA and employing several American faculty members. Provincial authorities ordered the university to suspend on-campus operations for two days, citing credible security concerns.

“This closure is purely precautionary and intended to ensure the safety of our students, faculty and staff,” a university source told Christian Daily International on condition of anonymity. “We remain committed to our educational mission while prioritizing security during this extraordinary period.”

Officials declined to provide details of the threats but confirmed that institutions perceived to have Western ties are under enhanced monitoring.

Calls for retraint

Christian leaders have appealed for calm and national unity. Churches across Pakistan organized special prayers for peace during Sunday services as protests intensified.

“We pray for stability in our country and for protection of all communities,” said Bishop Nadeem Kamran of the Church of Pakistan’s Diocese of Lahore. “Violence only deepens divisions and places innocent lives in danger.”

The U.S. government has also taken precautionary steps. Following the Karachi consulate attack, Washington authorized the departure of non-essential staff from its consulates in Lahore and Karachi and advised American citizens in Pakistan to exercise heightened caution.

Ejaz Alam Augustine, a member of the Punjab Provincial Assembly and former provincial minister for human rights and minorities affairs, warned that religious minorities often become unintended targets during periods of mass anger.

“Whenever geopolitical tensions intersect with strong religious sentiment, vulnerable communities can face disproportionate risk,” Augustine said. “The state’s rapid deployment of security around churches suggests authorities recognize that danger.”

Analysts note that while Pakistan has experienced spillover effects from Middle East crises before, the scale and intensity of the latest unrest have created an unusually volatile environment fueled by anti-American rhetoric and rapid mobilization through social media.

For Christians, many of whom live in working-class neighborhoods in Punjab and Sindh provinces, the immediate concern is safety. Community representatives told Christian Daily International they were coordinating closely with local police to ensure protection of churches, schools and residential areas.

“We are as much Pakistanis as our Muslim compatriots and we fully understand their pain and anguish over the events in Iran,” said Christian development expert Adeel Rehmat. “However, it would be unjust to blame or target us for what is happening there. We have always advocated for peace and urge the warring sides to exercise restraint in the larger interest of the region.”