ISLAMABAD: Pakistani students evacuated from Kyrgyzstan after recent riots and violence against foreign nationals on Saturday lauded “tremendous and timely” support from their teachers and landlords, saying that they rescued and saved their lives.
Last week, violent riots erupted in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, following the emergence of online videos showing a brawl between local and Egyptian students of medical sciences. The mobs mostly targeted the hostels of medical universities and private lodges of international students, including Pakistanis, in the city.
Around 10,000 Pakistani students are enrolled in different institutes in Kyrgyzstan and nearly 6,000 of them were studying in Bishkek, according to Pakistan’s diplomatic mission in the Central Asian country. The Pakistan government has evacuated thousands of students stranded in Bishkek by arranging special flights following the riots.
“We are alive today due to tremendous, effective and timely support of our teachers and landlords shortly after the violence,” Bilal Ahmad, a fourth-year medical student from Vehari district in Punjab province, told Arab News on phone. “Our teachers stayed with us in the hostel the whole night to protect us from the mob.”
Ahmad said when the situation normalized in Bishkek, local elders and officials apologized to the students for the violence. “They shared their mobile numbers with us to call them in any emergency,” he added.
Social media platforms were abuzz with different videos and photos showing the mob attacks against the international students in Bishkek. The Kyrgyz miscreants barged into hostels to attack foreign students without discrimination. Five Pakistani students were injured as a result, according to the Pakistan embassy, one of them seriously.
“We locked our doors and windows and reinforced them with cupboards, tables and chairs to prevent the miscreants from entering,” Asadullah Khan, a third-year medical student from Quetta, told Arab News.
“We switched off lights of our rooms and prayed to Allah … We called our landlord and she immediately responded and rescued us from there,” he said, adding that she took around nine students to her residence in her own car on the gloomy night.
Khan said that members of local communities, teachers and other university staff had cooperated with the students in the difficult time. “They brought us food, water and biscuits and stood by us against their own people,” he continued.
He also informed the local community and teachers had widely circulated audio and video messages of apology to international students, including Pakistanis, a day after the violence, promising to do everything to hold all the criminals accountable.
Khan said his parents were worried about his safety, fearing that they may not let him resume his studies in Bishkek after the semester break ended in September.
“My parents are pushing me to migrate to a local medical college in Pakistan to complete my studies,” he added. “I have invested my three years and a lot of money, so let’s see when the education resumes.”
Some students said the situation was completely under control in Bishkek days after the violence, as the local police and paramilitary took charge of the security of hostels and private apartments where international students were residing.
“I will go back to resume my studies since I can’t waste my time,” Anjum Rasheed, a final year medical student from Peshawar, told Arab News. “The days of the violence are over now, and local Kyrgyz community has repeatedly apologized to the students for the unfortunate incident.”
“Our teachers and other staff of the university had been extremely cooperative during the mob attack, and there is no reason for us to quit the studies,” he said, adding that one of his teachers rescued him from the hostel and took him to a shelter arranged by a human rights organization in the city.
He also noted that a local family transported him with a couple of other students to the airport for their flight back to Pakistan.
Pakistani students praise teachers, landlords for ‘timely’ rescue during Kyrgyzstan mob violence
https://arab.news/83vmk
Pakistani students praise teachers, landlords for ‘timely’ rescue during Kyrgyzstan mob violence
- Teachers stayed with students in hostels to protect them from rioters while landlords took many to safety
- Many students say they will resume their studies in Bishkek after their semester break ends in September
Pakistan vows retaliation saying India fired missiles at five locations
- Military spokesman says Ahmedpur East, Muridke, Bagh, Kotli, Muzaffarabad cities hit, one killed in Bahawalpur, two in Kotli
- Indian military says nine sites targeted from where Apr. 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir had been planned
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s military spokesman said on Wednesday India had fired missiles at five locations, vowing that the country would respond to the attacks at a “time and place of its own choosing.”
The development comes amid heightened tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors in the aftermath of an attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir last month in which 26 men were killed.
India, without providing evidence publicly, has accused Pakistan of involvement in the attack in the hill station of Pahalgam and vowed to respond. Pakistan has denied involvement and several top officials have spoken since of intelligence that India was planning to attack.
“Five places, Kotli, Ahmedpur East, Muzaffarabad, Bagh and Muridke, have been attacked,” Pakistan military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry told local broadcaster Geo News.
“Two civilians have been killed in Kotli and one child has been killed and 12 injured in Ahmedpur East.”
Ahmedpur East is a historic city located in the Bahawalpur District of southern Punjab, while Muridke is also located in Punjab. Bagh, Muzaffarabad and Kotli are in Azad Kashmir, which is part of the disputed Himalayan region governed by Pakistan.
Speaking separately to ARY News, Chaudhry said Pakistan had scrambled jets in response to the Indian attacks, adding that no Indian planes had entered Pakistan’s airspace.
“Let me say unequivocally that Pakistan will respond at a time and place of its own choosing to this cowardly attack, this heinous provocation will not go unanswered,” the military spokesman added.
Shortly after, a security official who declined to be named said the Pakistan Air Force had shot down two Indian planes. The army has not officially confirmed this.
According to an Indian government statement, its armed forces launched “Operation Sindoor,” hitting nine sites in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir from where it said the Pahalgam attack had been “planned and directed.”
No Pakistani military facilities had been targeted, the statement added.
Kashmir has been disputed between India and Pakistan since 1947. Both rule it in part and claim it in full.
Pakistan Ulema Council urges pilgrims to abide by Hajj code of conduct
- More than 112,000 Pakistani pilgrims will perform Hajj under government, private schemes this year
- The code of conduct highlights sacredness of the Hajj period, aims to ensure hassle-free experience
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC), a body of Pakistani clerics and religious scholars, urges Pakistani Hajj pilgrims to comply with the Hajj code of conduct and not to engage in any violation of rules during the annual pilgrimage, it said on Tuesday.
This year’s annual pilgrimage will take place in June, with nearly 89,000 Pakistanis expected to travel to Saudi Arabia under the government scheme and 23,620 Pakistanis through private tour operators. The total quota granted to Pakistan was 179,210, which could not be met.
The Hajj code of conduct urges pilgrims to refrain from disputes, and embody dignity and humility throughout the pilgrimage, according to the PUC. It highlights the sacredness of the Hajj period and the significance of sincere intention solely for the pleasure of Allah.
“Every Pakistani leaving for Hajj should comply [with] Saudi Arabia’s code of conduct and relevant instructions, and stay away from violating the requirements and regulations of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior,” PUC Chairman Tahir Ashrafi said in a statement, following his meeting with Pakistani Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yusuf.
In the last few years, some Pakistani nationals have been found to be involved in violations of the code, including chanting political slogans. In 2022, the Madinah police had arrested at least five Pakistani nationals for “abusing and insulting” then Pakistani information minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and minister for narcotics control Shahzain Bugti at the Prophet’s Mosque in the city.
Religious Affairs Minister Yusuf was due to leave for Saudi Arabia later on Tuesday to inspect arrangements for Pakistani pilgrims.
“Serving the pilgrims is our goal,” he was quoted as saying by the PUC.
More than 17,000 Pakistani Hajj pilgrims have reached the Saudi holy city of Madinah via over 70 flights on their way to perform the annual pilgrimage, according to the Pakistani religious affairs ministry.
Pakistan launched its Hajj flight operation on April 29 which will continue till May 31. Pilgrims will continue to leave for Madinah during the first 15 days of the operation and afterwards, they will land in Jeddah and travel directly to Makkah.
Lahore’s ‘Roses of Humanity’ art installation honors Gaza children killed in Israeli strikes
- Israel’s 18-month war on Gaza has killed more than 52,000 people, many of them women and children
- The installation features thousands of fabric roses, each representing a child whose life was cut short
ISLAMABAD: The Alhamra Arts Council in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore has opened an immersive art installation for visitors to honor the memory of children killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza, highlighting the devastating human toll of the war.
Israel’s 18-month offensive against Hamas has killed more than 52,000 people, many of them women and children, and displaced more than 90 percent of Gaza’s population, Palestinian officials say. The Israeli military has also blockaded aid to the Gaza Strip since March.
In remembrance of the innocent lives lost in Gaza, the Lahore-based Labour & Love social enterprise, in collaboration with The Fundraisers BBS, has set up the installation at the Ustad Allah Bux Gallery, encouraging reflection on the situation in Gaza,
The installation features thousands of hand stitched fabric roses, each one representing a child whose life was cut short, transformed into a symbolic garden of remembrance, enveloped in evocative soundscapes, gentle fragrance and thoughtful lighting design.
“A total of 15,000 fabric roses represents the number of children reported killed in Gaza by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights as of June 2024 a number that, heartbreakingly, has since grown,” said Nuria Iqbal, who curated the installation.
“Together, these roses form a radiant tribute to humanity, reminding us that dignity flourishes when we are seen, heard and held in compassion.”
The installation will be on display at the gallery from May 18.
Iqbal shared that each of the roses was crafted from discarded fabric, once cast aside and now reborn in beauty, symbolizing the forgotten lives of the children of Gaza.
“The varied colors and textures of the fabric reflect the rich diversity of creation and the strength of unity amidst difference,” she added.
The development comes at a time when Hamas has dismissed as pointless ceasefire talks with Israel, accusing it of waging a “hunger war” on Gaza where famine looms, as the Israeli military prepares for a broader assault.
The comments from Hamas political bureau member Basem Naim on Tuesday followed Israel’s approval of a military plan involving the long-term “conquest of the Gaza Strip,” according to an Israeli official.
The former Gaza health minister said the world must pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to end the “crimes of hunger, thirst, and killings.”
UK may restrict students from countries, including Pakistan, with high asylum claims
- The move follows the ruling Labour Party’s poor performance in last week’s local elections
- Of 108,000 asylum claims in Britain last year, 16,000 were from people with student visas
LONDON: The British government may restrict visa applications from students living in countries that are considered most likely to claim asylum in a move designed to bring down annual net migration, a government official said.
The move comes after Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party was punished in local elections in England last week by voters angry over issues, including illegal immigration.
The government is expected next week to publish a policy document, known as a white paper, which will set out how the government plans to reduce net migration, which reached 728,000 people in the year to June last year.
“Our upcoming Immigration White Paper will set out a comprehensive plan to restore order to our broken immigration system,” the Home Office said in a statement.
High levels of legal migration have long dominated Britain’s political conversation and were one of the major drivers for the Brexit referendum in 2016.
Out of the 108,000 people who claimed asylum in Britain last year, 16,000 had student visas, government data shows. The government does not provide a breakdown of the nationalities of those who had student visas, who went on to claim asylum.
But the government said people from Pakistan, Nigeria and Sri Lanka were the most likely to claim asylum in Britain after arriving on a work, student, or a visitor visa.
In the aftermath of the party’s poor local election results last week, some Labour members of parliament urged the government to do more to take a more decisive approach on issues such as bringing down net migration.
Jo White, who represents a group of lawmakers in previously Labour heartlands known as the “Red Wall,” said the government should stop “pussyfooting around.”
Pakistan PM briefed on preparations against ‘threat’ from India on visit to ISI headquarters
- Relations between the nuclear-armed neighbors have plummeted after India accused Pakistan of backing an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir
- Islamabad denied the charged and both countries have since exchanged gunfire, taken diplomatic measures against each other and expelled citizens
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday visited the headquarters of Pakistan’s premier Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency where he was briefed on the country’s preparations against a “conventional threat” from India, Sharif’s office said, amid heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
Relations between the nuclear-armed neighbors have plummeted after India accused Pakistan of backing an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 tourists on April 22. Islamabad has rejected the charge and both countries have since exchanged gunfire in Kashmir, taken diplomatic measures against each other, expelled citizens and ordered the border shut.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to pursue the attackers “to the ends of the earth” and there have been fears that India may carry out limited airstrikes or special forces raids near the border with Pakistan. The Pakistan military has conducted two missile tests since the standoff, with Islamabad saying it had “credible intelligence” that India was planning to attack Pakistan.
Sharif’s office said his visit to the ISI headquarters entailed a detailed briefing on the prevailing security environment, with a particular focus on preparedness for conventional threat in the light of India’s “increasingly aggressive and provocative posture along Pakistan’s eastern border,” regional developments and the evolving threat matrix, including conventional military options, hybrid warfare tactics and militant proxies.
“The prime minister and accompanying dignitaries underscored the imperative of heightened national vigilance, seamless inter-agency coordination, and reinforced operational readiness to deter and decisively respond to any violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Sharif’s office said.
“The leadership reaffirmed Pakistan’s unambiguous resolve to defend the homeland against all threats— conventional or otherwise.”
India’s interior ministry has asked several states to conduct mock security drills on May 7 to ensure civil preparedness, a government source told Reuters. They did not say which states or mention Pakistan.
The drills will include air raid warning sirens, evacuation plans and training people to respond in case of any attacks, added the source, who asked not to be named.
Separately, Sharif on Tuesday inaugurated his country’s National Intelligence Fusion and Threat Assessment Center (NIFTAC) Headquarters. It integrates over 50 federal and provincial departments and agencies into a unified intelligence and threat management architecture supported by a centralized national database. At the sub-national level, the platform is linked to six provincial intelligence and threat assessment hubs, including those in Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, to ensure seamless coordination between the federation and provinces.
“This integrated framework is designed to harmonize intelligence gathering, analysis, and operational responses across multiple domains,” Sharif’s office said. “By leveraging the full spectrum of institutional capabilities, NIFTAC will enhance national preparedness, optimize resource utilization, and enable a coherent and timely counterterrorism response.”
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militancy in its northwest by religiously motivated militant groups like the Pakistani Taliban. The South Asian country has also been faced with a decades-long insurgency by Baloch separatists in its southwest, which has intensified in recent months.
On Tuesday, seven Pakistani army soldiers were killed when their vehicle was targeted by an improvised explosive device in the southwestern Balochistan province, Pakistan’s military said in a statement.
Sharif was accompanied by federal ministers and services chiefs at Tuesday’s inauguration of the NIFTAC headquarters, which will coordinate Pakistan’s national counterterrorism strategy. He commended all stakeholders involved in operationalizing this vital capability and described NIFTAC as a quintessential national platform for collaborative threat assessment and response.
“Dismantling the nexus between terrorism, illicit networks, and external sponsorship requires robust and efficient institutional mechanisms,” Sharif was quoted as saying by his office.
“[NIFTAC] will play a pivotal role in uprooting terrorism and its support structures from the country.”
