Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced on Sunday that his Kyrgyz counterpart, Jeenbek Kulubayev, assured him the situation in Bishkek was peaceful, attributing the recent turmoil to social media exaggeration.
During a press conference, Dar relayed Kulubayev’s statement that 16 foreign students were injured in the Friday attacks, including four to five Pakistanis, and dismissed reports of deaths as completely false.
According to Dar, Kyrgyz authorities claim paid bloggers are spreading rumors to incite violence via social media. He, who also serves as deputy prime minister, noted that initial plans to visit Bishkek were canceled after Kulubayev confirmed the situation was under control.
Dar stated no incidents had been reported since Friday and announced additional flights to repatriate Pakistani students wishing to return home.
Dar highlighted that over 11,000 Pakistani students study in Kyrgyzstan, with more than 5,000 in Bishkek. He emphasized Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s personal monitoring of the situation and reaffirmed Kyrgyzstan as a friendly nation, urging trust in Kyrgyz officials and cautioning against letting rumors harm diplomatic relations.
Dar concluded by noting that Kyrgyz authorities had arrested some individuals involved in the violence and assured that the government would hold all perpetrators accountable.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, also present, clarified that the incident wasn’t targeted against Pakistanis. The unrest began with a brawl between locals and Egyptian students, subsequently involving students from Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh.
Tarar accused a political party, without naming it, of using social media to spread misinformation about the Bishkek situation. He emphasized that no students had been killed or raped and criticized the party for instilling fear among students’ parents.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/19-May-2024/pakistan-s-deputy-pm-dar-s-kyrgyzstan-visit-postponed-as-students-await-return-flights
