Lahore, Pakistan – Protests at Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) branches across Pakistan turned violent this week, leading to one person’s tragic death and several injuries. These protests began as public outrage grew over KFC’s international controversy regarding alleged affiliations and social media activity; quickly spreading across major cities including Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.
According to local media reports, thousands of protestors converged outside KFC locations on Friday afternoon in Pakistan in demand of its closure due to religious and national sentiment violations by KFC’s operations here. They accused it of disrespecting religious and national sentiments following an incident that went viral online; although details about what triggered these protests remains uncertain; activists on social platforms stated that KFC official accounts liked or shared posts seen as offensive by local communities.
As protests escalated, some demonstrators began vandalizing KFC outlets. One branch in Lahore was set afire, forcing police to use tear gas and baton charges against crowds of protesters. Tragically, during this chaos one protester was killed during an altercation outside of a KFC branch in Gulberg; authorities have confirmed his/her death but have not disclosed details as per family notification procedures.
Eyewitnesses reported scenes of panic as violent clashes broke out between protestors and security personnel. “What started out as a peaceful demonstration soon turned chaotic as people started throwing stones; police responded accordingly, leading to more chaos,” stated Ali Nawaz who witnessed it all himself.
Police in Karachi have arrested over 30 individuals suspected of inciting violence and damaging property, while KFC Pakistan issued an official statement expressing deep sorrow over what has transpired and emphasizing that their local operations are independently run by franchise owners in Pakistan. KFC stated: “We respect people’s sentiments and condemn any form of hatred; our local team are working hard to ensure everyone’s safety,” as per their official statement.
Civil society organizations and human rights groups have issued appeals for peace, urging authorities to investigate this incident impartially, while raising their concern over excessive force being used during protests.
As tensions escalate across Pakistan, KFC stores have temporarily suspended operations as security has been tightened at key locations due to fears of further unrest. Meanwhile, the government has asked for restraint, promising an investigation into both the protestor’s death and causes of unrest.
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