- Five Pakistani students injured in violent mob attacks.
- PM Shehbaz expresses concerns over mob violence.
- “Govt will not leave students alone in this difficult time.”
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that the federal government will bear all travel expenses of stranded Pakistani students who wanted to return to the country as foreign pupils faced mob violence in Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek.
At least five Pakistani students were injured in the violent attacks triggered by a brawl between locals and Egyptian nationals on May 13.
Pakistan’s embassy in Bishkek rebutted the reports of the death of Pakistani students in the attacks with envoy Hasan Zaigham confirming that the condition of Pakistani national, Shahzaib, who sustained injuries in a mob attack in Bishkek, was out of danger.
In a statement issued by the PM Office on Saturday, PM Shehbaz expressed serious concerns over the mob violence against foreign students in Bishkek, directing Federal Minister for Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan Affairs Amir Muqam to visit Kyrgyzstan to help the stranded Pakistani nationals.
As per the statement, the federal minister has been asked to travel to Bishkek and meet the Pakistani students to listen to their complaints.
The statement said the Muqam will leave for Bishkek today (Saturday), where he will meet the country’s officials.
The prime minister has also directed that all possible assistance be provided to the affected Pakistani students.
He also instructed that those who wish to return to Pakistan be facilitated to do so at government expense.
The premier has assured that the government will not leave the students alone in this difficult time and will maintain constant contact between the students and their parents through the embassy.
Islamabad also summoned and handed a note of protest to Kyrgyzstan’s top diplomat in the country in response to violence against Pakistani students in Bishkek.
Kyrgyz police said they had mobilised forces in the Central Asian nation’s capital on Friday to quell the violence, in which hundreds of Kyrgyz men attacked buildings housing foreign students, including Pakistanis.
“It was impressed on the Kyrgyz charge d’affaires that the Kyrgyz government should take all possible measures to ensure the safety and security of Pakistani students and citizens,” Pakistan’s Foreign Office said in a statement.
More to follow…
