Facilitate evacuation of Kashmiri students stranded in Kyrgyzstan: J-K students’ body urges MEA

NEW DELHI: The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) has urged the ministry of external affairs to help evacuate Kashmiri students from Kyrgyzstan following the recent attack on international students in Bishkek. The request comes even after the Indian Embassy in Kyrgyzstan said that the situation has returned to normal in Bishkek.

The students’ body wrote to the ministry bringing its attention towards the ‘distressing’ situation. “Several Kashmiri students and their parents have reached out to us, expressing their fear and anxiety following a series of troubling events. Indian students, particularly those from Kashmir in Kyrgyzstan's capital city, Bishkek, were caught unaware of the mob violence unleashed by locals and are desperate to return home,” it said in a letter to MEA.

JKSA claimed that while 180 students from other countries have been reportedly evacuated from the country on May 19, no Indian students including Kashmiris have been brought to India.

“Given the gravity of the situation and the urgency of ensuring the safety and well-being of our fellow citizens, we earnestly request the Ministry of External Affairs to take immediate steps to facilitate the evacuation of Indian students stranded in Kyrgyzstan. Their safe return home should be a priority to prevent any further distress or potential harm,” the student organisation urged.

Explaining the situation in Bishkek, the J-K student group said that the locals have reportedly threatened international students, especially those from India and Pakistan, on social media platforms like WhatsApp and urged them to leave the country as soon as possible or face punishment.

“The students informed us that locals target students living in private apartments whenever they go out, even for grocery shopping. They are isolated and cannot leave the hostel. They need to come back home. Scores of parents whose wards are currently enrolled have informed us that their children are scared because of what has happened in the country over the last several days. They only want their children to return home safely with other students. We have spoken to them, and students are not permitted to go outside. They are scared, and their families back in Kashmir are worried and weeping, concerned for their safety. The safety and security of students must be prioritized in light of the current situation,” the letter read.

JKSA further expressed trust in the ministry for the safety and security of students and requested proactive measures. According to the student body, the government should collaborate with the Kyrgyz authorities to facilitate safe passage of students.