On Thursday, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah welcomed students arriving from Kyrgyzstan at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport. This comes after mob attacks occurred in Bishkek last week.
Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar announced that the count of Pakistani students who left Kyrgyzstan has risen to over 3,000 and is projected to reach over 4,000 by midnight. He held a press conference in Islamabad following his visit to Bishkek on Tuesday, where he discussed the mob attacks on international students, including Pakistanis. CM Murad stated at the airport that among the 205 students returning on Thursday, 99 were from Karachi.
According to the chief minister, twenty-two students were from Hyderabad, thirteen from Khairpur, fifteen from Naushahro Feroze, twelve each from Sukkur and Nawabshah, five each from Badin, Dadu, Mirpurkhas, and Jacobabad, three from Tando Adam, two each from Jamshoro and Kashmore, and one each from Kandhkot, Pano Aqil, and Tharparkar, as reported by APP.
Arrangements have been made for the students to return to their hometowns.
“The incident in Kyrgyzstan was a significant concern for these students, their parents, and the entire country. They were not at fault; they had gone there to study,” CM Murad stated.
He also appreciated the quick response of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in establishing a crisis management cell.
CM Murad mentioned that there are still 180 students remaining in Kyrgyzstan, out of which six have minor injuries.
The Sindh government has informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that it will cover the expenses of bringing back the remaining students, and health checkups will be provided for the injured ones.
Regarding the students’ educational opportunities, CM Murad acknowledged that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed a 25-member committee, led by Dar, to accommodate the students who have returned from Kyrgyzstan in Pakistani medical colleges.
The chief minister particularly praised PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari for utilizing his connections in Kyrgyzstan to assist the students and ensure their safety.
CM Murad emphasized that the government of Pakistan bears the responsibility for its citizens wherever they may be in the world. He highlighted that citizens go abroad for education, employment, and to support their families, and it’s the government’s duty to ensure their safety and security at all times.
