Our Foreign Office had rightly summoned and handed a note of protest to Kyrgyzstan’s diplomat in the country in response to violence against Pakistani students in Bishkek. Friday’s violence in which hundreds of Kyrgyz men attacked buildings housing foreign students, including Pakistanis, was indeed a shocking news for every Pakistani at home and abroad.
According to global media reports, the rampage began at around 2am in Bishkek and that the mobs had scouted out the locations of Pakistani and Indian students prior to the attacks. One cannot buy the Kyrgyz police version that the violence was prompted by foreigners beating up locals in the city.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed concern over the incident, saying Islamabad would fly back any of Pakistani citizens who wanted to leave the country immediately.
In my view, he should raise this matter with the Kyrgyz authorities without any loss of time. He must not lose sight of the fact that a large number of students are still without food and water. Last but not least, it is heartening to note that More than 650 Pakistani students are being repatriated from Kyrgyzstan.
Nasir Husain (Lahore)
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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