BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan: Around 5,000 Pakistani students are stranded in Kyrgyzstan with no food supplies and medical facilities, and they have appealed to the government of Pakistan to arrange their immediate repatriation.
In a video message, the students said that they have been suffering immense hardships in Kyrgyzstan as the Central Asian Country battles with the COVID-19 pandemic and its major Cities including the Capital Bishkek are under lockdown imposed by the authorities as part of efforts to mitigate the impact of the virus.
So far over 400 Coronavirus Cases have been detected in Kyrgyzstan while five of the patients have lost their lives.
Apprising about their situation they are dealing with, the Pakistani students said that since all banks have been shut down; therefore, they can’t withdraw their money from ATMs.
They said that Kyrgyzstan lacks basic facilities and they are facing the acute food shortage and health issues. They said that even the prices of available food have soared sky-high, making it difficult for them to purchase them.
Furthermore, they said that the Kyrgyz police have arrested a number of students and slapped heavy fines on them, which have further worsened their woes.
They said that they also have to face discriminatory treatment in Kyrgyzstan as the Local Community is being given the preference over Pakistanis and they are being denied the livelihoods and medical facilities at various outlets.
The students were also of the view that now they are being offered online Courses since the institutions have been shut amid the lockdown, and added that if their physical attendance is no more required in such circumstances, they can attend the online Courses while being in Pakistan.
Talking to the Dispatch News Desk (DND) news agency, the Chairman Students Union Kyrgyzstan Arbaz Khan said that there are around 5,000 Pakistani students stranded in the Central Asian Country, and yet no one from the Pakistani Mission has approached them so far.
Arbaz Khan told that now they are facing a serious shortage of money and there is no way that they can acquire it from their relatives etc in Pakistan.
Thus, they demanded the government of Pakistan to take stock of their plight, and ensure that they are repatriated immediately.
