Pak PM Sharif expresses concern over ‘violation of international law’ following Khamenei’s killing

Islamabad, Mar 1 (PTI) Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday expressed concern over “violation of norms of international law” following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a joint strike by the US and Israel.
     In a social media post, the Pakistan prime minister said “the government and the people of Pakistan join the people of Iran in their hour of grief and sorrow and extend the most sincere condolences on the martyrdom of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei”.
     He expressed Pakistan's concern over “violation of the norms of international law”.
     The prime minister said it is an age-old convention that the heads of state and government should not be targeted.
     Separately, President Asif Ali Zardari in a statement “conveyed heartfelt condolences to the Government and the people of Iran”.
     “Pakistan stands with the Iranian nation in this moment of grief and shares in their loss,” he said.
     He said that the “passing of a leader of such stature, along with other senior figures, would be deeply felt across the Muslim world”.
     Meanwhile, at least 10 people were killed in firing when protesters tried to storm the US Consulate in Karachi as violent clashes and arson rocked different cities of Pakistan on Sunday over the killing of Khamenei.
     Khamenei was killed on Saturday in a coordinated US-Israeli airstrike on Tehran with his death confirmed on Sunday, prompting an outburst of anger by Pakistan's Shiites, who are about 20 per cent of the 240 million population.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)