Ishaq Dar’s Kyrgyzstan visit cancelled, details shared in press conference

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE:  Deputy Prime Minister (PM) and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar’s visit to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan has been cancelled. Ishaq Dar was scheduled to depart for Kyrgyzstan to assist stranded Pakistani students, who were subjected to mob violence.

Flight carrying Pakistani students from Bishkek lands at Lahore

Earlier, a special flight KA-571 carrying more than 180 passengers along with Pakistani students from Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, landed at the Lahore Airport. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi welcomed the students and heard their grievances at the airport.

PRESS CONFERENCE

Today, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Interior Minister Atta Tarar and Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) League leader Amir Muqam held a press conference at the Model Town Secretariat, Lahore in this regard.

In the press conference, Dar said that the Foreign Minister of Kyrgyzstan is monitoring this whole situation. “The Foreign Minister has assured that the situation is completely under control at the moment”, he added.

He said that The Prime Minister is personally monitoring the whole situation. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ambassador of Kyrgyzstan acted quickly on the matter. They were immediately summoned and asked for all the details,” Dar added.

Pakistan launches protest with Kyrgyz govt over mob attack

Information Minister Tarar said, “Pakistani students were not the target when the two student groups clashed”. The leaders informed the media that the target of the incident was all foreign students. Out of 16 injured students, four or five were Pakistanis, they said.

Tarar said, “Ambassador of Pakistan went to all the hospitals himself and met the students. Footage has been released by Kyrgyzstan in which the students present there also went to the aid of Pakistanis students”.

“Propaganda is being done on social media by a certain party of Pakistan,” Tarar said, adding, “Playing with the sentiments of people is a very shameful act on the part of a political party. Neither any of our students have died, nor has any girl been raped.”

Deputy PM Dar said, “The Air Force will also go to Bishkek with its airbus and bring back 130 students. In total 540 students will reach Pakistan by tomorrow”.

No Pakistani students killed, raped in Bishkek, says embassy

According to the Kyrgyz Foreign Minister, paid people are spreading propaganda on social media. The deputy PM said, adding that propaganda is being done on social media not just in Pakistan but also in other countries.

“We were told by the government of Kyrgyzstan that there is no need for you to come,” Dar said.