Pakistanis in Kyrgyzstan’s Bishkek asked to stay indoors amid mob riots targeting international students

Several Pakistani students in the Kyrgyzstan capital of Bishkek were subjected to mob violence late Friday night, leaving at least five injured, Pakistani officials said on Saturday.

What we know so far

• Locals attack international students after video of fight with Egyptians goes viral on social media
• Kyrgyz media outlet describes violence as “protest against foreigners”
• Pakistan Embassy says 5 Pakistanis injured, asks nationals to remain indoors; India issues similar instructions
• FO hands demarche to Kyrgyz envoy; Kyrgyz deputy PM meets Pakistan ambassador, assures situation is under control

While the Pakistani embassy in Bishkek reported no deaths, the incident has been described by the Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar as “extremely concerning”.

According to Pakistan’s Embassy in Bishkek, foreign students living in the Kyrgyz capital, including those from Pakistan, were attacked by locals in the aftermath of their brawl with Egyptian nationals on May 13. At least 12,000 Pakistanis are studying in Kyrgyzstan.

Private Kyrgyz media outlet 24.kg described the incident as a “protest against foreigners”, publishing a statement from the Kyrgyz government condemning “attempts to provoke violence and unrest on interethnic grounds due to the dissemination of untrue information on social media”.

Some hostels of medical universities in Bishkek and private residences of international students including Pakistanis were attacked, APP reported, quoting a Facebook post by the embassy.

A Pakistani medical student in Bishkek, Dr Muhammad Taqi, told Dawn.com that while the situation appeared to have calmed, he and other foreigners were readying themselves for a “second attack”. Taqi hails from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Shangla region.

“They attacked girls’ and boys’ hostels throughout the night,” he added.

However, contrary to posts circulating on social media, the Pakistan embassy said that so far, they had received no confirmed reports of the death or rape of any Pakistani student.

On the other hand, Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch shared in an update on X that five Pakistanis had been injured, one of whom suffered a jaw injury.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said the reports of mob violence against Pakistani students in Bishkek were “extremely concerning”.

“We have established contact with the Kyrgyz authorities to ensure the protection of Pakistani students,” he said in a post on X.

“I have instructed our Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan to fully facilitate them.”

Hasan Zaigham, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, also took to X and urged all Pakistanis in the capital to “remain indoors until the situation return[s] to normal”.

He added that his office was liaising with local authorities to ensure students’ safety and posted numbers for an emergency helpline.

The numbers shared were: +996555554476, +996507567667 and +996 507567667.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has activated its Crisis Management Unit (CMU), with Pakistani nationals in Kyrgyzstan and their families urged to contact the unit at the following numbers: 0519203108, 0519203094

The CMU’s email address was also provided. cmu1@mofa.gov.pk

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a statement that his office was in touch with the Pakistani Embassy and “constantly monitoring the situation”.

“Deeply concerned over the situation of Pakistani students in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. I have directed Pakistan’s Ambassador to provide all necessary help and assistance,” the PM wrote on X.

The FO spokesperson, conveyed a message from Ambassador Zaigham in a post on X. “The Embassy of Pakistan is in contact with the Kyrgyz authorities to facilitate Pakistani students,” she wrote, adding that the students’ safety was of “paramount importance” to Zaigham and his team.

In a separate post, Mumtaz shared a post from the Pakistani Embassy’s X account of emergency helpline numbers.

“Amb Zaigham & his team are available on these emergency numbers (both numbers on WhatsApp). They have responded to hundreds of queries by students and their families,” she wrote.

The FO spokesperson advised people to contact the embassy on WhatsApp.

In an update shared by the Foreign Office, the Charge d’affaires of the Kyrgyz Embassy Melis Moldaliev was called to the FO for a demarche by Director General (ECO & CARs) Aizaz Khan.

He conveyed the deep concerns of the government about the reports and urged 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 residing in the country.

Hours later, the FO shared a statement about a meeting between Pakistani Ambassador Zaigham and Kyrgyz Deputy Foreign Minister Imangaziev Almaz in connection with the “incidents of violence in Bishkek”.

“Ambassador Zaigham strongly raised the concerns of Pakistani nationals particularly the large number of affected Pakistani students and their families,” the statement said.

He urged the Kyrgyz government to prioritise safeguarding Pakistani nationals. The Kyrgyz deputy foreign minister informed him authorities “have controlled the situation which is now back to normal”.

He said that the Kyrgyz Police was providing security to all the hostels and the matter “is being directly supervised by the Kyrgyz president”.

Deputy Foreign Minister Almaz assured the ambassador that the Kyrgyzstan government would take legal action against the perpetrators yesterday’s attack.

“He shared that fourteen foreign nationals including some Pakistanis were discharged after first aid. One Pakistani national remains under treatment.”

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic also issued a statement about the meeting, saying: “During the meeting, the Pakistani side was informed about the incident involving foreign citizens and the measures taken by the law enforcement authorities of Kyrgyz Republic to suppress illegal actions and ensure public order.”

“The Kyrgyz side also asked the Pakistani side to conduct explanatory work among representatives of the Pakistani mass media on the non-dissemination of inaccurate information on the incident,” it added.

At the same time, the Kyrgyz deputy minister assured the Pakistan ambassador that the situation was under the control of the competent authorities of the Kyrgyz Republic.

According to APP, multiple social media posts also reported violence at hostels housing foreign students in Bishkek, enclosed with footage and imagery, with many appealing to authorities to provide help to the students.

The Indian Embassy in Bishkek also warned its students to stay indoors, writing in a post on X, “The situation is presently calm but students are advised to stay indoors for the moment.”

Indian foreign Minister S. Jaishankar also took to X and advised students to “stay in regular touch with the embassy, as well as instructing them to remain indoors.

What happened?

According to a post issued by the Pakistan Embassy on Facebook, there were several incidents of mob violence against foreign students in Bishkek since Friday night.

Quoting Kyrgyz press, the notice said that the situation boiled over after a video of a fight between Kyrgyz students and medical students from Egypt was shared on May 13.

It added that some hostels at medical universities in Bishkek and the private residences of international students including Pakistanis were attacked. “The hostels are inhabited by students from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh,” it read.

“So far, the violence appears to be directed against all foreign students and not specific to Pakistanis,” the notice stated.

Additional input by APP.