Over 500 Pakistani students studying in Kyrgyz capital Bishkek have returned home following violent attacks targeting international students in the city following a dispute between Kyrgyz and Egyptian students.
In response, furious mobs attacked hostels and private lodgings of all international students, including Pakistanis, Indians and Bengalis. The evacuated students are a fraction of the estimated 10,000 Pakistanis enrolled in various educational institutions across Kyrgyzstan, with nearly 6,000 of them believed to reside in Bishkek. Following the incidents of the past week, students have claimed they received no support from the Pakistan embassy, which advised them to remain indoors until conditions normalized, alleging they were targeted in their very homes. Amidst this, they demanded a return to Pakistan, with authorities claiming this would be accomplished through special flights.
Addressing the situation, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told a press conference he had cancelled a planned visit to Bishkek after being assured by his Kyrgyz foreign minister that the situation was normal and it would prove a wasted trip. However, returning students maintain they remained at risk until their evacuation.
Unfortunately, the contrast between the statements of the students and the Pakistan embassy have raised more questions than provided answers. The students maintain the embassy did not provide them necessary support, with the parents of one of them claiming to media that Pakistan’s Ambassador in Kyrgyzstan Hasan Zaigham “did not pick up his phone” when he was trying to convey the whereabouts of his son, who was sheltering in a hostel. Prior to the commencement of the next term at the end of summer, the Government of Pakistan should investigate the matter and determine what really happened so it can take steps necessary to ensure the safety of Pakistani students studying in Kyrgyzstan.