Dozens of students, including 14 Pakistanis, have been reportedly injured in a mob attack on foreign students by locals in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, according to news reports.
According to details, an angry mob of hundreds of locals entered the hostels of foreign medical students, ransacked them, broke windows and glass, and damaged property. Indian, Bangladeshi and Egyptian students were also brutally tortured, including several women students.
According to Pakistan’s Embassy in Bishkek, foreign students living in Bishkek, including those from Pakistan, were attacked by locals in the aftermath of their brawl with Egyptian nationals a few days ago. "According to the Kyrgyz press, the matter boiled over yesterday due to sharing online of videos of a fight between Kyrgyz students and medical students from Egypt on 13th of May," the embassy said in a statement posted on social media.
According to the affected students, the local police were standing by as spectators, adding that the security agencies were completely unable to control the situation. Following an escalation in the situation, the army had to be deployed.
A Pakistani student said that they were being pulled out of their hostels and homes and being tortured, adding that no foreigner was being spared. The police were also helpless in front of the local people, who were roaming on the streets looking for foreigners and beating them up.
What exactly happened
One of the affected students narrated the incident, saying there was a clash between local and foreign students in Kyrgyzstan on May 16. The next day, locals started attacking Pakistanis, evicting them from their hostels, apartments, and private residences. He further said that there were over 10,000 Pakistani students in Kyrgyzstan. "We are scared. The Pakistani students are sitting at home with lights off and windows shut," he added.
According to local media reports, large crowds gathered in Kyrgyzstan's capital overnight, furious over an alleged fight between locals and foreigners, prompting the deployment of riot police in certain areas. The crowds spent hours congregating at various Bishkek intersections before dispersing early on Saturday. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the situation was under control. To avoid any conflicts, police negotiated with the demonstrators.
On the other hand, a harassment incident involving female students from Egypt on May 13 was believed to be the cause of the violence in Bishkek. Mohammad Abdullah, a Pakistani medical student in Bishkek, reported the conflict started because Kyrgyz students were harassing Egyptian students. However, he continued, the riots started when Egyptian students confronted the local students.
According to Abdullah, the Kyrgyz students then started attacking international students in Bishkek, including those from Pakistan. Local media outlets in Kyrgyzstan report that on May 13, a brawl between local and international students occurred in a hostel in the country's capital city. Three or more of the foreigners were arrested.
Also Read: PM Shehbaz, Dar ensure support for Pakistani students in Bishkek
Another student, rioters attacked Pakistani students by targeting them, injuring more than 250 students. However, a local reporter said the Pakistani embassy denied this and said the number of injured students was only 35.
Locals in Bishkek demonstrated on May 17 in the evening, according to the local media, calling for action against the foreign parties involved in the conflict. The head of the Interior Affairs Directorate in Bishkek asked for the protest to end. According to the Kyrgyz media, the demonstrators refused to leave and more people gathered there instead. As a result, the authorities arrested a number of them for disobeying public order.
Local media reports state that following discussions with the head of federal police, the demonstrators dispersed. Three Egyptian nationals were reportedly being held at the Bishkek Central Internal Affairs Directorate facility.
Three foreigners arrested
Tension over the large number of South Asian migrants living in Kyrgyzstan seemed to be reflected in the incident. According to Kaktus Media, Kyrgyzstan's Ministry of Internal Affairs is stepping up oversight and enforcing penalties against foreign nationals who break immigration laws.
On May 13, there was an alleged fight at a hostel, and word of it quickly went viral on social media. On Friday, people began to assemble to voice their displeasure with what they perceived to be the indifferent treatment of foreign participants in the conflict. However, according to police, three foreign nationals, said to be Egyptian, were taken into custody on charges of hooliganism, as the news outlet AKIpress stated. According to the report, the suspects apologized for the altercation in a video and said they would accept their punishment.
Head of Bishkek's Internal Affairs Directorate, Azamat Toktonaliev, stated, “All measures were taken in a timely manner, they were detained, legal measures will be taken against them.” He said Kyrgyz people were not held in detention and were instead invited to testify as witnesses.
'Under control'
On the other hand, the Pakistani ambassador in Bishkek, Hasan Zaigham, has claimed that the situation in Bishkek and its adjacent areas was under control. The police dispersed the rioters and no Pakistani was killed in the said incident, he claimed, adding that 14 Pakistanis were reportedly injured, and the toll was expected to rise.
In a post on X, he said that in view of the mob violence around student hostels, the embassy has advised all Pakistani students in Bishkek to stay indoors until the situation returned to normal. "We are liaising with the local law enforcement authorities to ensure safety of our student fraternity," he added.
According to the ambassador, the Pakistan mission in Kyrgyzstan was in touch with the students and their parents, adding that the emergency number they dedicated for the situation had received more than 400 calls since the morning. He further said that the Kyrgyz government has assured the protection of foreign students.
The embassy further said that the Kyrgyz government had confirmed there was no death of any Pakistani student in the mob violence against international students. It further said that the Kygyz interior ministry had claimed in a press release that the situation was under control.
According to the Foreign Office spokesperson, there was a lot of pressure on the telephone lines, adding that those reaching out could also send a message on WhatsApp. The Pakistani ambassador and his team were available on emergency numbers, which were +996555554476 and +996507567667.
Meanwhile, the Indian mission in Bishkek has also said that the situation was calm, but advised its students to stay indoors and get in touch with the embassy in case of any issue.
PM 'deeply concerned'
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, expressing concerns over the situation, directed the Pakistani ambassador to provide all necessary support to the Pakistani students. “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 prime minister wrote on his X account.
“My office is also in touch with the Embassy and constantly monitoring the situation,” the prime minister added. PM Sharif has also instructed the ambassador to visit the hostels and meet the students personally.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also reacted to the situation in a social media post, saying the Kyrgyz authorities had been contacted to ensure protection of Pakistani students.
