BISHKEK: Students from Pakistan and other Asian countries are leaving Kyrgyzstan by the hundreds after an angry mob attacked their living quarters this month, although some hope to return when the situation calms down.
Hundreds of Kyrgyz young men stormed a hostel in capital Bishkek in the early hours of May 17 and attacked foreign students there because of a brawl that happened between several Kyrgyz men and foreigners a few days earlier.
Police, although present, were unable to stop the violence.
“They invaded our... hostel and it was a terrifying moment for all of us and it was the worst nightmare,” said Imran Yousaf, a pathologist at the International University Kyrgyzstan.
He said that despite the students’ attempts to barricade entrances and hide, the attackers beat up and assaulted several students including some women.
“We were very much surprised and we were so much mentally traumatized at that time when people came in,” Yousaf said. “I don’t know what kind of provocateur is responsible for that kind of hatred among them.”
The government of Pakistan has arranged extra flights leaving daily from Bishkek and many students are using the opportunity to return home, at least temporarily.
Medical schools of Kyrgyzstan have over the last few decades become popular among aspiring doctors from India, Pakistan and some other Asian and Arab countries, in part thanks to relatively affordable fees and living expenses.
The Kyrgyz government has sought to allay foreign students’ fears and held meetings with their leaders, said Yousaf, who expressed hope that those who are leaving will return in a few months. Police have detained more than a dozen of the suspected attackers.
“The government of Kyrgyzstan has taken beautiful steps,.. our student council was invited to the parliament of Kyrgyzstan, along with the President, there was a one-on-one meeting, and I hope, Inshallah (God willing), with hope in my eyes and logic on my back, that this situation will dampen in the days to come,” Yousaf said.
“I am saying to all my friends, don’t think that Kyrgyzstan is bad,” said another student, Hamza Yasin.
Pakistanis among hundreds of foreign students flee Kyrgyzstan after mob attack
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Pakistanis among hundreds of foreign students flee Kyrgyzstan after mob attack
- Hundreds of Kyrgyz men stormed a hostel in Bishkek on May 17 and attacked foreign students because of an earlier brawl
- The Pakistani government has arranged extra flights leaving daily from Bishkek and many students are using the opportunity
Police in Pakistan’s Karachi say 71 of 75 extortion cases traced as businesses complain of threats
- Builders told provincial authorities this week extortion calls were traced to numbers operating from abroad
- Police say 128 suspects were identified, with 91 arrested and six killed in encounters during investigations
ISLAMABAD: Police in Karachi said on Saturday they traced 71 of 75 confirmed extortion cases this year, arresting 91 suspects and killing six in encounters, amid complaints from businesses about rising threats in Pakistan’s commercial hub.
The disclosure follows recent complaints by builders and developers who told provincial authorities that extortion demands had increased in Karachi, with some calls traced to numbers operating from abroad, prompting assurances of tougher enforcement by the Sindh government.
“In 2025, a total of 171 extortion cases were registered, of which 75 were confirmed as genuine extortion,” police said in a statement. “Of these 75 cases, 71 were traced, representing a 95 percent trace rate.”
According to the report released by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) Karachi, the remaining 96 cases initially registered as extortion were later found to be linked to financial disputes, land and plot conflicts, personal matters, fights and other non-extortion-related disagreements.
Police said 128 suspects were identified in the confirmed extortion cases. Of these, six were killed in encounters with the SIU, while 14 others were arrested in injured condition during operations.
A total of 91 suspects were arrested over the course of the year, the statement said, adding that crackdowns against extortion would continue.
Karachi, Pakistan’s largest and most populous city, is the country’s financial and commercial capital, accounting for a significant share of national revenue, trade and industrial activity.
The city has long struggled with crime, political violence and organized criminal networks, with members of the business community repeatedly warning that extortion poses a persistent threat to investment and economic stability.
