Pakistani students in Kyrgyzstan's capital Bishkek have been targeted by violent mobs resulting into reported death of three of them, according to multiple testimonies and videos on social media, prompting Islamabad's envoy to the country to urge students to stay indoors.
"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," Pakistan's Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Hasan Zaigham wrote on X, formerly Twitter, early on Saturday.
"We are liaising with the local law enforcement authorities to ensure safety of our student fraternity," he added.
https://twitter.com/MurtazaViews/status/1791619853230461413
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, acknowledged the message received from the Pakistani embassy and confirmed that the embassy is in contact with Kyrgyz authorities. “The protection of Pakistanis is of utmost importance,” the spokesperson said.
https://twitter.com/Mumtazzb/status/1791621270385098914
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, Pakistani Foreign Office spokeswoman, said the embassy was in contact with the Kyrgyz authorities and has responded to hundreds of queries from distressed students and their families.
https://twitter.com/falakjavaidkhan/status/1791576559100264542
"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," Pakistani embassy in Bishkek 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 Pakistan, India and Bangladesh," it said.
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"There have been reports of light injuries to a number of students from Pakistan. Despite social media posts about alleged death and rape of Pakistani students, so far, we have not received any confirmed report," the statement added.
“Pakistani female students are being harassed. Violence has occurred in the hostels, targeting both male and female students. Kyrgyz students are attacking foreign students across Bishkek,” said one Pakistani student.
PM Shehbaz’s telephonic conatact with Pakistani envoy
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a telephonic conversation with Pakistani Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Hasan Ali Zaigham and directed him to provide every kind of support and help to Pakistani students in the current situation in Kyrgyzstan.
The Prime Minister instructed the Ambassador to visit the hostels and meet the students. He asked the ambassador to keep in constant touch with parents of the students and provide timely information to them.
The Prime Minister instructed the embassy to provide medical facilities to the injured students. He said immediate arrangements should be made for those injured students who want to return to Pakistan. He said the government will bear the cost in this regard.
The Prime Minister said he is personally monitoring the situation in Kyrgyzstan. He assured that Pakistani students will not be left alone in this situation and that the government is also in touch with the government of Kyrgyzstan.
The ambassador informed the Prime Minister about the situation and said that no Pakistani was killed in the incident and the embassy is assisting the injured students.
No death or rape of Pakistani student reported
Contrary to the social media posts, the Pakistani Embassy in Bishkek said so far they had received no confirmed reports of death or rape of any Pakistani student there.
As the social media posts have been claiming the deaths and rapes of the students in Bishkek, the embassy said they had received only the information of light injuries to a number of students.
“There have been reports of light injuries to a number of students from Pakistan. Despite social media posts about alleged death and rape of Pakistani students, so far, we have not received any confirmed report,” the embassy added.
https://twitter.com/AftabIqbalFan/status/1791626368444403948
Earlier, Barrister Saif, the Advisor for Information in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, said that there are reports of three Pakistani students being killed in the attacks. According to Saif, there are 10,000 Pakistanis studying in Kyrgyzstan. He urged the government to protect them.
In a viral social media video, three students appear and one of them introducing himself as Mohammad Walid says that after a fight between locals and Egyptian students mobs attacked international students.
Walid said six students had been killed, though he did not specify their nationalities. He said police were not helping international students.
Most of Pakistani students including Walid are studying medicine in Kyrgyzstan.
According to some media reports, the attackers forcefully entered the hostels, broke the doors of the rooms and tortured and injured several students.
In social media post, Ambassador of Pakistan in Bishkek Hasan Zaigham assured that the embassy was liasing with the local law enforcement authorities to ensure safety of the Pakistani students.
The envoy also shared helpline numbers +996555554476 and +996507567667, asking the students to call in case of emergency.
“In view of mob violence around student hostels in Bishkek, the embassy strongly advises all Pakistani students in Bishkek to stay indoors until the situation returns to normal. We are liasing with the local law enforcement authorities to ensure safety of our student fraternity,” the ambassador said.
Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch also reposted the envoy’s message and said the embassy was in contact with the Kyrgyz authorities to facilitation Pakistani students as their safety was of paramount importance for the ambassador and his team.
https://twitter.com/Natsecjeff/status/1791644210975699040
Various social media posts also reported the incidents of mob violence at the hostels housing foreign students in Bishkek, along with the footages and imagery, with many appealing to the relevant authorities for immediate help to the Pakistani students.
RESPONSE TO CALLS
According to Ambassador Hasan Zaigham, the embassy staff was continuously responding to the calls from the Pakistani students and extending maximum possible support to them. “The Embassy of Pakistan is doing its best to help Pakistani students in distress,” he responded to an X post.
FO spokesperson Baloch also seconded the ambassador saying that he and his team were available on the given emergency numbers which are also available on WhastApp. “They have responded to hundreds of queries by students and their families. In case the numbers do not connect because of phone traffic, please text/WhatsApp,” she advised.
https://twitter.com/ahmad__bobak/status/1791607656555180518
PM says monitoring Bishkek situation
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday expressing concerns over the situation of violence in Bishkek, directed Pakistan’s Ambassador in Kyrgyzstan to provide all necessary support to the Pakistani students.
“Deeply concerned over the situation of Pakistani students in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. I have directed Pakistan’s Ambassador to provide all necessary help and assistance,” the prime minister wrote on his X timeline.
https://twitter.com/CMShehbaz/status/1791659518990102930
https://twitter.com/iihtishamm/status/1791603940955406504
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.
“My office is also in touch with the Embassy and constantly monitoring the situation,” the prime minister added.
https://twitter.com/MIshaqDar50/status/1791673739756679406