In light of mob violence against international students in Kyrgyzstan, India and Pakistan have issued recommendations to students, advising them to stay home. In an effort to put an end to the violence, hundreds of Kyrgyz men stormed buildings housing international students, including Pakistanis, according to Kyrgyz police, who said they had deployed forces in the capital of the country in Central Asia yesterday.
What is Currently Known
- After a video of an altercation between Egyptians gets viral on social media, the locals target foreign students.
- Violence is described as “protest against foreigners” by a Kyrgyz media station.
- Deputy PM of Kyrgyzstan meets ambassador of Pakistan; promises that situation is under control
- India also offers similar directions; the Pakistani embassy reports five injuries and advises citizens to stay indoors.
- FO gives the Kyrgyz envoy the demarche.
- FM Dar, Minister of Kashmir Affairs Amir Muqam is directed by PM Shehbaz to travel to Bishkek.
- Pakistan’s embassy in Bishkek reports that after a fight with Egyptian nationals on May 13, residents of the Kyrgyz capital attacked international students, including those from Pakistan.
A “spontaneous protest against foreigners” that started in Bishkek last night reportedly came to an end this morning when police reached a settlement with the protesters, who then left a little later, according to Kyrgyz private media site 24.kg.
According to the Kyrgyz health ministry, 29 individuals were hurt in the incident, according to the article. Meanwhile, the nation’s foreign ministry reported that 14 foreign patients had been treated and were now being released from hospitals.
According to the Pakistani embassy in Bishkek, no one had died. It added, “In addition, press releases from the Kygyz Ministry of Internal Affairs have stated that the situation is under control.”
A special flight carrying the first group of Pakistani students from Bishkek has landed at the Lahore airport, according to state-run Pakistan Television (PTV).
Mohsin Naqvi, the interior minister, welcomed the pupils.
The number of pupils in the flight was not made clear; the state broadcaster stated 30, 140, and 180 in different broadcasts on X.
Students from different cities will have access to transport facilities. Children of Pakistan are enrolled in Kyrgyzstan as students. Following this occurrence, the prime minister moved swiftly to safeguard Pakistani students, according to Naqvi.
He added that additional flights were planned for Sunday and that more students would also be brought back.
He had shown up at the airport earlier to welcome the first group of pupils.
Amir Muqam and FM Dar will go for Bishkek.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, meanwhile, made the decision to dispatch Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Minister of Kashmir Affairs Amir Muqam to Bishkek, according to a statement aired by PTV. Sharif did this after keeping an eye on the situation all day and staying in contact with the ambassador in Kyrgyzstan.
The two will take a private aeroplane on Sunday morning to the capital of Kyrgyzstan.
“Even though the situation is satisfactory, it has been decided to send this delegation to give Pakistani students the facilities and support they need.”
The statement stated that Dar will also examine matters pertaining to the repatriation of Pakistani students and that “the foreign minister will hold meetings with senior government officials in Bishkek and ensure the provision of medical facilities to the injured students.”
According to a previous statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, PM Shehbaz gave Muqam the order to travel to Bishkek right away in order to help and support Pakistani students.
The prime minister declared, “Engineer Amir Muqam will meet with Pakistani students, listen to their issues, and make sure that Pakistani students do not face any difficulties in the current situation.”
He continued by saying that the embassy should make sure injured Pakistani students have access to the best medical care possible.
According to PM Shehbaz, the embassy “will not leave the sons and daughters of Pakistan alone in difficult times.”
He went on to say that representatives should make sure that students who wished to return to Pakistan at government expense could do so right away.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz stated that his administration was “constantly monitoring the situation” and in communication with the Pakistani embassy.
“very alarmed by the circumstances facing Pakistani students in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The PM tweeted on X, “I have instructed Pakistan’s envoy to offer all essential support and assistance.
The claims of mob violence against Pakistani students in Bishkek, according to FM Dar earlier today, are “extremely concerning.”
In a post on X, he stated, “We have established contact with the Kyrgyz authorities to ensure the protection of Pakistani students.”
“I have directed our ambassador in Kyrgyzstan to provide them with full assistance.”
Muqam added that in order to guarantee the safety of its students amid the violent episodes in Bishkek, the Pakistani government was in communication with the Kyrgyz authorities.
The minister advised the students to stay in contact with the Pakistan embassy in a statement, expressing concern over the violent incidents in Kyrgyzstan and stressing that the government placed a higher priority on the safety of Pakistani students.
He affirmed that there had been no deaths among the Pakistani students.
Ambassador: Pakistan’s injured parties are not under risk.
The ambassador of Pakistan to Kyrgyzstan, Hasan Zaigham, provided a video update on the situation on X. He claimed that last night in Bishkek, “local extremist elements” attacked six dormitories for international students as well as their private homes, leaving fourteen people injured.
He said that Shahzeb, a Pakistani patient in a hospital, had been visited by him at the prime minister’s request. “His health is not in danger,” the envoy continued.
Zaigham provided specific instructions to the prime minister and deputy prime minister to offer all services feasible to Pakistani people residing in the nation. The Kyrgyz administration also promised to ensure foreigners’ security by keeping the police on the job round-the-clock.
“We’ve been informed that some suspects have been taken into custody.”
More than 500 calls have been addressed on emergency numbers so far, according to Zaigham, who stated that embassy staff have been working nonstop since the morning to assist with Pakistani citizens’ questions and concerns. The ambassador urged the Pakistani community in Kyrgyzstan to always verify news they find on social media.
Later, he spoke with the “Naya Pakistan” programme on Geo News, stating that everything that had happened that night was over and that things in Bishkek were normal after 6 a.m.
“Markets are open, public transport is operating, and traffic is flowing normally. Although the city is in a regular state, there is a sense of terror among the international and Pakistani students.
He claimed to have spoken with Kyrgyz authorities, who informed him that the situation was being handled as a “top priority” and that the president of Kyrgyzstan was personally keeping an eye on it.
However, student Hamid Tariq refuted the ambassador’s story. He stated that although things had been quiet all day, students had noticed activity on social media concerning people congregating near hostels once more, raising the possibility of another attack.
“An attack is still a possibility,” he stated.
Reassurances that things had returned to normal only applied to the natives in Kyrgyzstan, according to Tariq.
“We cannot go outside to the shops to buy something; it is not under control for us,” he stated, saying that several employees and students had been kicked out of their apartments.
He remarked, “Where should these people go? The Pakistani embassy should take care of them; at the very least, they should find a solution to their housing and food problems.”
“I believe the ambassador lacks knowledge. In his opening remarks, he mentioned that three or four people were hurt. “You must have received videos showing dozens of students suffering serious injuries. Perhaps they are attempting to conceal the situation,” he continued.
Tariq continued, “We have footage of them being dragged and proof of it.
In a similar vein, Dr. Muhammad Taqi, a Pakistani medical student studying in Bishkek, told Dawn.com that although things seemed to be calming down, he and other foreigners were bracing for a “second attack.” Taqi is from the Shangla area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He said, “They (the mob) attacked hostels for boys and girls throughout the night.”
He demanded a safe route to the airport so that children could be evacuated and chastised the federal administration for its slow response to the situation.
The Kyrgyz government denounced “attempts to provoke violence and unrest on interethnic grounds due to the dissemination of false information on social media,” according to a statement made public by 24.kg.
Attacks occurred on a few medical university dorms in Bishkek as well as in the private homes of foreign students, including Pakistanis, according to APP, which cited an embassy Facebook post.
In contrast to social media allegations, the Pakistani embassy stated that they have not yet received any verified information of any Pakistani student being raped or dying.
However, in a previous report on X, Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch disclosed that five Pakistanis had been hurt, with one of them suffering a jaw injury.
Zaigham also posted on X, asking Pakistanis residing in the nation’s capital to “stay indoors until the situation return[s] to normal.”
He continued by saying that his office has posted emergency helpline numbers and was in contact with local authorities to guarantee the safety of the kids.
+996555554476, +996507567667, and +996 507567667 were the numbers that were exchanged.
Pakistani nationals living in Kyrgyzstan and their families are asked to get in touch with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Crisis Management Unit (CMU) by calling 0519203108 or 0519203094.
Additionally, the email address of CMU was given. [email protected]
In a post on X, the FO spokeswoman shared a message from Ambassador Zaigham. She said, “To facilitate Pakistani students, the Pakistani embassy is in contact with the Kyrgyz authorities.” Zaigham and his staff placed “paramount importance” on the safety of the students.
Mumtaz shared an emergency helpline number post on the X account of the Pakistani embassy in a different post.
“You can reach Amb Zaigham and his team at these emergency numbers (both are on WhatsApp).” She stated, “They have answered hundreds of questions from students and their families.
The FO official suggested using WhatsApp to get in touch with the embassy.
Director General (ECO & CARs) Aizaz Khan summoned Charge d’Affaires of the Kyrgyz Embassy Melis Moldaliev to the foreign ministry for a demarche, according to an update released by the FO.
He informed the Kyrgyz Charge d’affaires of the government’s grave concerns on the reports and urged them to take all necessary steps to protect the safety and security of Pakistani nationals and students living in Kyrgyzstan.
A few hours later, the FO released a statement regarding a meeting regarding the “incidents of violence in Bishkek” between Kyrgyz Deputy Foreign Minister Imangaziev Almaz and Pakistani Ambassador Zaigham.
“The statement stated that Ambassador Zaigham emphasised the concerns of Pakistani nationals, especially the significant number of impacted Pakistani students and their families.”
He asked the Kyrgyz government to put the safety of Pakistani citizens first. He was informed by the deputy foreign minister of Kyrgyzstan that the situation has been under control and has returned to normal.
He added that all of the dormitories were being secured by the Kyrgyz Police, and that the issue was “being directly supervised by the Kyrgyz president.”
The ambassador was given the assurance by Deputy Foreign Minister Almaz that the Kyrgyzstani government will pursue legal action against the individuals responsible for yesterday’s incident.
“He revealed that following first aid, fourteen foreign nationals—some of them were from Pakistan—were released. One Pakistani citizen is still receiving medical attention.
“During the meeting, the Pakistani side was informed about the incident involving foreign citizens and the measures taken by the law enforcement authorities of Kyrgyz Republic to suppress illegal actions and ensure public order,” the Kyrgyz Ministry of Foreign Affairs also released a statement regarding the meeting.
“The Pakistani side was also requested by the Kyrgyz side to carry out educational activities with members of the Pakistani mass media regarding the avoidance of misinformation about the incident,” the statement continued.
Concurrently, the Pakistani envoy was reassured by the deputy minister of Kyrgyzstan that the matter was under the jurisdiction of the Kyrgyz Republic’s capable authorities.
“Destructive forces in foreign media, especially in social networks on the territory of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, are deliberately disseminating absolutely false and untrue information about the situation in the Kyrgyz Republic,” the Kyrgyz foreign ministry stated in a subsequent statement.
It restated that all required steps had been taken to guarantee security, peace, and stability, and that the situation in Bishkek was “currently calm and fully under control.”
“The ministry requests that members of the blogging community, media representatives, and foreign partners only rely on official and verified information from the Kyrgyz Republic’s competent authorities.”
According to APP, numerous social media posts detailing violence at Bishkek’s international student dormitories included images and video, and many of them pleaded with the authorities to assist the students.
In a post on X, the Indian embassy in Bishkek issued a similar warning, saying, “Students are advised to stay indoors for the time being as the situation is presently calm.”
In addition, Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar addressed X, advising students to “remain indoors and in regular contact with the embassy.”
According to reports, on May 13, a harassment incident involving female Egyptian students precipitated the outbreak of violence.
Pakistani students in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, were advised to stay indoors by the country’s embassy in Kyrgyzstan.
Pakistan’s ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, Hasan Zaigham, posted on X, formerly Twitter, early on Saturday, saying, “In view of mob violence around student hostels in Bishkek, the embassy strongly advise all Pakistani students in Bishkek to stay indoors until the situation return to normal.”
“We are communicating with the local law enforcement agencies to guarantee our student fraternity’s safety.”
A representative for the Pakistani foreign office, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, stated that the Pakistani embassy has answered hundreds of questions from students and their families.
She mentioned that the emergency numbers to reach Pakistan’s envoy and his staff were +996555554476 and +996507567667.
