Bishkek (Web Desk/Agencies): Pakistani students in the Kyrgyzstan’s capital of Bishkek were to mob violence late Friday night, according to Pakistani officials on Saturday.
Pakistan’s ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Hasan Zaigham has strongly advised all Pakistani students in the violence-hit city to stay indoors until the situation return to normal.
"We are liaising with the local law enforcement authorities to ensure safety of our student fraternity," the envoy wrote in a post on X, (formerly Twitter).
Meanwhile, the Pakistani embassy issued a public notice detailing the violent incidents across its social media platforms.
"There have been a number of incidents of mob violence against foreign students in Bishkek since last evening. According to the Kyrgyz press, the matter boiled over yesterday due to sharing online of videos of a fight between Kyrgyz students and medical students from Egypt on 13th of May," the embassy wrote on Facebook.
It added that so far, a few hostels of medical universities in Bishkek and private residences of international students including Pakistanis have been attacked.
"The hostels are inhabited by students from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh," the Facebook post read.
The embassy added it has issued an advisory for Pakistani students asking them to stay indoors until the situation returns to normal and has also circulated their emergency numbers on social media.
"The Embassy has been able to contact over 250 students and their family members in Pakistan through these numbers. So far, the violence appears to be directed against all foreign students and not specific to Pakistanis," the embassy stated.
The envoy also shared helpline numbers +996555554476 and +996507567667, asking the students to call in case of an emergency.
According to the embassy in Bishkek, foreign students were attacked by local mobs in the aftermath of a brawl between Egyptian nationals and locals a few days ago.
"There have been a number of incidents of mob violence against foreign students in Bishkek since last evening. According to the Kyrgyz press, the matter boiled over yesterday due to sharing online of videos of a fight between Kyrgyz students and medical students from Egypt on 13th of May," the embassy said in a statement.
"So far, a few hostels of medical universities in Bishkek and private residences of international students including Pakistanis have been attacked. The hostels are inhabited by students from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh," it said.
PM Shehbaz says monitoring Bishkek situation, directs envoy to help Pakistani students
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while expressing concerns over the situation of violence in Bishkek, directed Pakistan’s Ambassador in Kyrgyzstan Hassan Ali Zaigham to provide all necessary support to the Pakistani students.
According to Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Media Wing, the premier asked him to personally visit the hostels of Pakistani students and meet them.
The ambassador apprised the prime minister that Pakistani students were safe and those injured were being assisted by the embassy.
The prime minister advised him to remain in contact with the parents and provide them timely information, adding that immediate arrangements should be made for those injured Pakistani students who wanted to return to Pakistan.
“The government will bear all the expenses in this regard”, he said.
The prime minister, expressing his concerns, further said that he was monitoring the situation himself and would not leave the students alone in this situation.
The Government of Pakistan is in contact with the Kyrgyz government, he added.
According to Pakistan’s Embassy in Bishkek, foreign students living in Bishkek including those from Pakistan, were subjected to violence by locals in the aftermath of their earlier brawl with Egyptian nationals a few days ago.
As per reports, some hostels of medical universities in Bishkek and private residences of international students including those of Pakistanis were attacked. However, the embassy said that so far, they had received no confirmed reports of death or rape of any Pakistani student there.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar says Pakistan has established a contact with Kyrgyz authorities to ensure protection of Pakistani students.
In a post on X handle, he said the Ambassador in Kyrgyzstan has been instructed to fully facilitate Pakistani students.
The Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson in a post on X handle said the Pakistani Ambassador and his team have responded to hundreds of queries by students and their families.
Meanwhile, the Embassy of Pakistan in Kyrgyzstan has strongly advised the Pakistani students to stay indoors amidst mob violence taking place outside the student hostels in Bishkek.
FO summons Kyrgyz Charge d'affaires
Charge d’affaires of the Kyrgyz Embassy in Pakistan Melis Moldaliev on Saturday was called to the Foreign Office (FO) for a demarche by Director General (ECO & CARs) Aizaz Khan, conveying the deep concerns of the Government of Pakistan about the reports of last night’s incidents against Pakistani students studying in the Kyrgyz Republic.
“It was impressed on the Kyrgyz Charge d’affaires that the Kyrgyz government should take all possible measures to ensure the safety and security of Pakistani students and citizens residing in the Kyrgyz Republic,” the FO said in a press statement.
“The Government of Pakistan takes the matter of the safety and security of its national around the world very seriously and would take all necessary measures to ensure their well-being,” it was asserted.
The FO statement added that the Kyrgyz authorities have expressed regret over the incidents of violence against foreign nationals including Pakistanis in Bishkek last night and also pledged to hold an inquiry and punish the perpetrators.
MOFA Crises Unit activated to assist Pakistani nationals in Kyrgyz, their families
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), at the instruction of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, on Saturday activated its Crisis Management Unit (CMU) for the facilitation and assistance of the Pakistani nationals in the Kyrgyz Republic and their families.
They may contact the unit at the following numbers:-
0519203108/0519203094
Email CMU:-cmu1@mofa.gov.pk
According to MOFA’s post on X account, the emergency numbers of the Embassy of Pakistan in Kyrgzstan for any emergency/ assistance are:-
+996550730550/+996501140874/+996555554476/+996507567667
In addition, the following numbers for CMU at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad can also be contacted for any assistance:
0519203108/0519203094
Email CMU:-cmu1@mofa.gov.pk