The Pakistan government has asked the government of Kyrgyzstan to ensure the safety and security of Pakistan nationals in Bishkek. The Pakistani government’s response came following the Pakistani students along with foreign students in the Kyrgyz capital -Bishkek – were injured when locals attacked them.
The Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in his statement said that his office was in touch with the Pakistani Embassy and was constantly monitoring the situation. Being deeply concerned over the situation the PM directed Pakistan’s Ambassador to provide all necessary help and assistance to Pakistani students.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar came up with a statement that the reports of mob violence against Pakistanis were extremely concerning. The Pakistani government has asked the Kyrgyz government to ensure the protection of Pakistanis by all means. The Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch in a statement said that injured Pakistani students were shifted to the hospitals and now have been discharged after treatment. She said that out of the injured one Pakistan student received jaw injuries and was under treatment.
She conveyed a message from the Pakistani Ambassador to Bishkek stating “The Embassy of Pakistan is in contact with the Kyrgyz authorities to facilitate Pakistani students.” She added that Pakistani students’ safety was of prime importance to the government of Pakistan. Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Hasan Zaigham in a post urged all Pakistanis in Bishkek to remain indoors until the situation gets normal. He added that his office was liaising with local authorities to ensure students’ safety. The Pakistan Embassy in the Kyrgyz capital also posted emergency helpline numbers: +996555554476, +996507567667, and +996 507567667.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also activated the Crisis Management Unit with Pakistani nationals in Kyrgyzstan and their families urging them to contact the unit at: 0519203108, 0519203094, and at cmu1@mofa.gov.pk.
The Foreign Office called the Kyrgyz envoy – Melis Moldaliev – to this office and was handed demarche, he was conveyed the concerns of Pakistan over the safety and security of its nations in Bishkek. The envoy was conveyed that that the Kyrgyz government should take all possible measures to ensure the safety Pakistani nationals. Meanwhile, the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry issued a statement that Kyrgyz Deputy Foreign Minister Almaz Imangaziev has met with the Pakistani Ambassador. He informed about the measures taken by the law enforcement authorities to suppress illegal actions and ensure public order. He assured Pakistan that the situation was completely under control. The media reported that the Indian Embassy in Bishkek also warned its students to stay indoors.
According to the reports, Kyrgyz students attacked medical university hostels containing foreign students including those from Pakistan. More than one dozen Pakistani students have been reported to be injured. Luckily no death or rape in these incidents has been reported so far. According to Pakistan’s Embassy in Bishkek, foreign students living in the Kyrgyz capital, including those from Pakistan, were attacked by locals resulting from a brawl between locals and Egyptian nationals. The incident took place late Friday night.
The situation got worse after a video of a fight among locals and Egyptians went viral on social media. Pakistan Embassy instructed Pakistani nationals to stay indoors. The Pakistan Foreign Office today has handed a demarche to the Kyrgyz envoy in Pakistan. The Kyrgyz deputy prime minister met with Pakistan’s ambassador in Bishkek and assured all measures to be taken for the safety and security of Pakistanis.
The Kyrgyz government was reported as saying that now the situation was completely under control of the government. The responsible would be awarded justice. There were attacks even on the girls’ hostels reported without an incident of rape. The media reported Pakistani students fearing such attacks again. In these incidents, students from India and Bangladesh were also injured. Their concerned embassies have also issued instructions to their nationals to stay indoors till the situation gets fully normalized.
(By Rana Kashif)
