Pakistani students stranded in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan following violent clashes with a local mob on Friday night have recounted an ordeal marked by pain, suffering, helplessness, and a perceived lack of support from the Pakistani embassy.
Reports from students on the ground indicate a dire situation, with many expressing genuine fear for their safety and urgently demanding their safe evacuation from the country.
One student detailed a clash between local and foreign students in Kyrgyzstan on May 16, followed by locals targeting Pakistanis the next day, forcibly evicting them from their accommodations, including hostels, apartments, and private residences.
According to the student, no foreigners were spared, and indiscriminate targeting was rampant. The local police seemed powerless in the face of the mob, which roamed the streets and chased Pakistani students.
“We are scared, and sitting inside our homes with lights off and windows shut,” the student expressed.
Calls were made to the Pakistani government to take stringent action against the perpetrators. Suggestions included summoning the ambassador to the foreign office and severing ties with the offenders, while ensuring the safety of Pakistani students.
Shehryar Haider, a Pakistani student in Bishkek, urgently appealed for government assistance, stating that Pakistani students, including himself, felt trapped in their hostels, facing repeated attacks.
He lamented the lack of support from the Pakistani embassy, emphasizing the need for immediate government intervention.
Jhang-resident Tehreem Nasir echoed similar sentiments, describing how they had locked themselves inside their hostels amidst attacks by mobs. She shared that her parents, living in Mohalla Sultanwala in Jhang, were deeply concerned.
In a video message, Tehreem’s parents pleaded for the government to ensure the safe evacuation of Pakistani students and criticized the lack of response from the embassy despite their repeated attempts to contact them.
Another student highlighted the precarious situation faced by Pakistani students in Bishkek, citing severe harassment and threats amid escalating local tensions. They emphasized the urgent need for help and voiced frustration over the embassy’s apparent inaction.
Despite government assurances that the situation was under control, students vehemently disagreed, insisting that the embassy failed to respond to their distress calls.
The students pleaded for their immediate return to Pakistan, recounting instances of violence and fear they had endured. Families of stranded students also appealed for swift action, expressing grave concern for their loved ones’ safety.
Reports indicated that over 50 students from Pakpattan were stuck in Bishkek, with appeals for their safe return as they faced food shortages and lived in constant fear following the sudden outbreak of violence.
Efforts to evacuate and ensure the safety of Pakistani students remained a pressing concern as the situation in Bishkek remained volatile.
