ISLAMABAD – Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev met Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, in Astana on Monday.
Kulubaev assured Dar that the Kyrgyz government would bring to justice those responsible for the recent mob attacks on foreign students in Bishkek, as reported by Pakistani state media.
Last week, frenzied mobs targeted hostels of medical universities and private lodgings of international students, including Pakistanis, in Bishkek after videos of a brawl between Kyrgyz and Egyptian students went viral on social media.
In response, Pakistan has ramped up efforts to repatriate its students from Bishkek, with over 600 Pakistani students returning home on three different flights. Official statistics indicate that approximately 10,000 Pakistani students are enrolled in various educational institutions in Kyrgyzstan, with nearly 6,000 residing and studying in Bishkek.
The meeting between Dar and Kulubaev took place in Astana, Kazakhstan, on the sidelines of a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers, as reported by state-run Radio Pakistan.
“Kyrgyz government has taken swift action to restore law and order in the country, and the perpetrators of the mob riots will be punished under Kyrgyz law,” Kulubaev assured Dar.
During the meeting, Dar expressed concerns about the safety of Pakistani students in Kyrgyzstan and requested Kulubaev to ensure their security. He emphasized that Pakistan’s primary concern was the well-being of its nationals, particularly the students affected by last week’s violence.
“Bilateral relations between Pakistan and the Kyrgyz Republic, especially in the domains of energy, connectivity, trade, and people-to-people contacts, were also discussed,” according to the report. “Both dignitaries expressed satisfaction with the progress of established bilateral institutional mechanisms.”
Dar arrived in Kazakhstan on Monday to represent Pakistan at the two-day SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting. He will also hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts on the sidelines of the summit.
Founded in 2001, the SCO is a major trans-regional organization spanning South and Central Asia, with China, Russia, Pakistan, India, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan as its permanent members. The SCO member states collectively represent nearly half of the world’s population and a quarter of global economic output.
The organization’s agenda of promoting peace and stability and seeking enhanced linkages in infrastructure, economic, trade, and cultural spheres aligns with Pakistan’s vision of enhancing economic connectivity and peace and stability in the region.
Since becoming a full member of the SCO in 2017, Pakistan has actively contributed to advancing the organization’s core objectives through its participation in various SCO mechanisms.
