KARACHI – Pakistani Students, who faced brutal attacks in Bishkek, are seeking government intervention for evacuation after violent mobs targeted them in hostels.
Over the weekend, Pakistani students enrolled in various medical universities suffered injuries and urged government to arrange for their evacuation from Bishkek.
The mob violence started after clips of brawl between Kyrgyz and Egyptian medical students from May 13 were spread purportedly. The mobs targeted hostels and private residences of international students, including Pakistanis, in Bishkek. Pakistan embassy said around 10,000 Pakistani students are enrolled in various Kyrgyzstan institutes, with around 6,000 residing in capital Bishkek.
Many of the students were also trapped in their hostels and private accommodation without food and water. Students lamented no response from embassy and local authorities for help.
The frightened students are now looking to move back, saying local police were aiding the rioters rather than stopping them.
Pakistan’s envoy to Kyrgyzstan, Hasan Zaigham, told media that some Pakistani students were injured, with one hospitalized for jaw injuries and four others treated and released. He turned down social media rumors of deaths or sexual assaults among Pakistanis and said the situation was now under control with local authorities dispersing the miscreants.
The embassy advised Pakistani students to stay indoors and contact them in emergencies while coordinating with local law enforcement to ensure student safety.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan’s foreign ministry summoned Bishkek’s top diplomat in Pakistan and issued demarche, urging Kyrgyz government to ensure the safety of Pakistani students and citizens.
Foreign office spokeswoman Mumtaz Zahra Baloch stated that the embassy had responded to hundreds of queries from students and families and provided emergency contact numbers for assistance. The embassy had reached out to over 250 students and their families, emphasizing that the violence was directed at all foreign students, not specifically Pakistanis.
Pakistani government also pledged to keep the Pakistani community in Kyrgyzstan and their relatives informed of any further developments.
Pakistan summons Kyrgyz top envoy, issues demarche after attacks on students
