KARACHI – Tensions flared in country’s financial capital Karachi, on Monday night when protesters of a right wing group stormed KFC outlet near Bahadurabad, demanding a boycott of the fast-food chain in protest against the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Chanting slogans and holding placards, the demonstrators condemned American food franchises like KFC, McDonald’s, and Domino’s, which they accuse of indirectly supporting Israeli Defence Forces. The agitators forcibly shut down multiple branches across the city, hurled stones on premises, calling on citizens to refrain from consuming products linked to companies allegedly sympathetic to Israeli actions.
“We can survive without KFC,” one protester yelled at customers while storming a branch. Another said ‘children in Gaza are being killed every day. This is not just a boycott — it’s a moral stand.’
Video courtesy: social media
Reports being shared online claimed operations of several outlets were stopped temporarily amid security concerns while no injuries were reported.
Karachi police of fast food chain have yet to issue an official statement, but locals said local cops were seen deployed in several locations to prevent further escalation.
Shutter-down strike in Karachi
On Monday, Karachi traders observed a citywide shutter-down strike in solidarity with Palestinians and to protest Israeli actions in Gaza. The strike followed a global call from Hamas and led to the closure of over 600 major markets across the city.
Traders also held demonstrations and pledged to boycott Israeli-linked products. The protest was a unified, voluntary effort, with leaders urging the Pakistani government to take a firm stand against the ongoing violence in Gaza on international platforms.
Israeli continues strikes on hospitals in Gaza, killing scores of people including journalists. The strikes are part of Israel’s ongoing military campaign against Hamas, which intensified after the collapse of a ceasefire.
Thousands of displaced Palestinians have taken refuge in hospital grounds, though these areas are now being targeted as well. The war has killed over 50,000 Palestinians and caused widespread destruction in Gaza.
KFC Pakistan outlet vandalized, torched by fiery protesters in Mirpur (VIDEO)
