Bishkek, May 18 (UNI) The Kyrgyzstan government has lashed out against “destructive forces in media and social media, especially in Pakistan” for deliberately disseminating “absolutely false and untrue” information about the situation in Bishkek following widespread clashes between locals and foreign students.
In a statement, the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry said that the situation in Bishkek on Saturday is “absolutely calm and completely controlled” and that all necessary measures have been taken to ensure security, maintain peace and stability.
It asked the representatives of the media, the blogging community, and their foreign colleagues “to be guided only by official and verified information from the competent authorities of Kyrgyzstan”.
The statement follows media reports of widespread mob violence against foreign students, mainly Pakistanis, that erupted in Bishkek and ended only on Saturday morning.
Police managed to come to an agreement with protesters and they opened Chui Avenue and dispersed.
According to the Ministry of Health, 29 people were injured during the protests. According to the police, four citizens of Egypt were detained for a brawl in a hostel on May 13 that triggered the violence.
According to Pakistani media reports, over a dozen Pakistani students were injured the mob violence around student hostels in Bishkek.
Disturbing videos are circling on social media showing locals thrashing South Asian students, mostly Pakistanis.
Violent clashes erupted between student groups in Bishkek, with reports of the attackers using batons to beat the foreign students. The attackers forcefully entered the hostel rooms and beat and wounded several international students, mostly Pakistanis, media reports said.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to the Kyrgyzstan Hassan Ali Zaigham on Saturday raised concerns with Kyrgyz Deputy Foreign Minister Imangaziev Almaz about the safety and welfare of Pakistani nationals, particularly the large number of affected Pakistani students and their families.
The ambassador met the Kyrgyz Deputy FM on the instructions of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, the Foreign Office Spokesperson said in a press release.
The Kyrgyz minister informed that their authorities had controlled the situation which was now back to normal.
He said that Kyrgyz police was providing security to all the hostels and the matter was being directly supervised by the Kyrgyz President.
Deputy FM Almaz assured the ambassador that the government of Kyrgyzstan would take legal action against the perpetrators yesterday’s attack.
He shared that 14 foreign nationals including some Pakistanis were discharged after first aid while one Pakistani national remained under treatment.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also took note of the violent situation in Bishkek and expressed concern for 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,” he wrote on X.
