A violent mob attacked a multinational fast food outlet KFC in Mirpurkhas, Sindh, marking the second such incident in a week, following similar assaults on KFC and Domino’s outlets in Karachi.
According to media reports, the incident occurred late Tuesday night at a KFC outlet in Mirpurkhas, where protesters, furious over Israel’s war on Gaza, vandalised the restaurant, throwing stones, breaking windows, and even setting part of the building on fire. They also looted the restaurant’s kitchen and damaged furniture.
While police response was delayed, they eventually dispersed the crowd using teargas, baton charges, and aerial firing. Several officers, including a DSP, were injured in clashes with the attackers, although none sustained serious injuries.
An FIR was registered by police on Wednesday under the state’s complaint. The case names 170 suspects, including several suspects identified in the attack.
Mirpurkhas Police arrested 15 suspects on-site. Police said that those identified via CCTV footage would face charges under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) and other sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
On Wednesday, local media also reported attacks on a KFC branch in Lahore.
Earlier, in Karachi, three KFC outlets and one Domino’s Pizza restaurant were targeted, resulting in damage to the outlets but no reported injuries. Police quickly intervened to prevent further destruction, making arrests and dispersing crowds.
“The motive behind these attacks is clear—protest against US and Israeli policies in Gaza,” said a top police official. He added that there is a similar pattern across the Muslim World, especially Bangladesh and other countries, mostly incited by social media, where mobs resort to such hooliganism.
According to a report by Arab News, boycott campaigns have hit Western brands in many Muslim countries since the start of Israel’s latest war on Gaza in October 2023, spearheaded by the BDS Movement, a global, Palestinian-led campaign advocating for non-violent pressure on Israel to respect Palestinian rights under international law.
The movement calls for the boycott of certain companies and organizations that it says have invested in Israel or donate to its military and are directly profiting from its economy.
While not officially on the BDS boycott list, KFC has faced backlash from pro-Palestinian advocates in many countries who believe the brand’s operations in Israel contribute to the conflict. KFC, owned by Yum! Brands, has faced boycotts in many Arab nations and accusations of supporting Israel due to Yum! Brands’ investments in Israeli-based startups, but the company maintains it is non-political and denies supporting the Israeli military or government.
The report says that Dominos is on the boycott list of the BDS, which says it donates to the Israeli military, an accusation the company denies. There is, however, an Israeli subsidiary of Domino’s Pizza.
