ISLAMABAD (AP) – Pakistan has asked its nationals in Kyrgyzstan to stay indoors after a mob attacked foreigners in the capital on Friday night over an unspecified fight with migrants, the foreign ministry said. announced on Saturday. It also repatriated 140 Pakistani students from Bishkek after the violence.
A special flight bringing Pakistani students home from Kyrgyzstan landed at the airport in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore on Saturday, the interior ministry said.
Pakistan plans to use more such flights to bring home all those who wish to flee Bishkek following the violence in the Central Asian country, the ministry added.
According to local media, the violence began last week after clashes between Kyrgyz nationals and foreigners broke out in the city.
Earlier, Pakistan said its embassy in Bishkek was in touch with the Kyrgyz government to ensure the safety and security of its citizens. It said some of the injured Pakistani students were treated at a local hospital in Bishkek.
Pakistan on Saturday summoned Kyrgyzstan’s diplomats to protest alleged attacks on its citizens.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also expressed concern about the violence and said he would immediately send senior ministers to Bishkek to oversee efforts to ensure the welfare of Pakistani students.
Pakistani authorities said they could not confirm whether any of their nationals were killed in the attack.
Thousands of Pakistanis study and work in Kyrgyzstan.
