Bishkek violence: ‘Pakistani students asked to leave Kyrgyzstan by evening’

NAROWAL: Amid what Kyrgyz media described as a “protest against foreigners”, father of two Pakistani students stranded in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan claimed that his sons and other students have received a threatening message to leave the country by evening or face consequences, ARY News reported on Saturday.

Speaking to ARY News exclusively, Amir – the father of two Pakistani students – said that his are MBBS students at Asian Medical University and have been threatened that if they do not leave the country by evening, they will be responsible for any harm that comes to them.

The father also showed screenshots of the threatening messages received by the students.

Meanwhile, a video of Pakistani student – Abdullah Ramzan – from Bishkek went viral on social media, wherein he said students are currently stranded in their hostels and have not received any contact from the Pakistani embassy.

According to Abdullah, the university is making arrangements for their safe travel, but the students are still waiting for assistance.

He said that there are around 800 students living in the hostel, and while the police had earlier surrounded the building, they have now been replaced by military security personnel.

Violent clashes have erupted between student groups in Kyrgyzstan’s Bishkek, with reports of attackers using batons. The attackers forcefully entered the hostel rooms and wounded several international students including Pakistanis.

The violence reportedly erupted due to a harassment incident involving Egyptian female students on May 13.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s embassy in Kyrgyzstan issued an advisory to the Pakistani students in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan 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.”

Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, a spokeswoman for the Pakistani foreign office, said the Pakistani embassy had responded to hundreds of queries by students and their families.

She said Pakistan’s envoy and his team were available on the emergency contact numbers: +996555554476 and +996507567667.