Int’l Desk:

As many as 140 Pakistani students, who were stuck in Bishkek, arrived in Lahore on Saturday night, according to an interior ministry’s spokesperson.

Earlier on Saturday night, several int­er­national students, inc­luding Pakistanis and Bangladeshis, injured in a mob attack in Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bish­kek.

Pakistan on Sat­urday summoned Kyrgyz envoy Melis Moldaliev to the Foreign Office and demanded “all possible measures” for the protection of the students, with the embassy asking them to remain indoors till de-escalation of the situation.

Interior Minister Moh­sin Naqvi received them at Allama Iqbal Internatio­nal Airport. More students are expected to arrive on Sunday.

According to reports reaching here through various sources, videos of a fight between Kyrgyz and Egyptian students on May 13 went viral on Friday, provoking an unruly group of protesters to attack hostels of medical universities where a large number of Pakis­tanis and students from other countries reside. Besides, private residences of foreign students also came under attack.

Unverified social media posts also reported the incidents of mob violence at the hostels housing foreign students in Bishkek, along with the footage and imagery, with many appealing to the relevant authorities to send immediate help. According to the Kyrgyz health ministry, four Pakistanis were provided first aid and discharged while one is under treatment for a jaw injury.

However, reports cited Kyrgyzstan authorities as saying that the situation was under control, but Pakistani students were advised to stay indoors until the situation became completely normal.

On Saturday, Pakistan summoned a Kyrgyz diplomat to lodge a protest over the alleged attacks on its nationals.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also expressed his concern over the violence and said he was immediately sending a senior Cabinet minister to Bishkek to supervise efforts to ensure the well-being of Pakistan students.

Pakistani authorities say they are unable to confirm if any of their nationals died in the attacks.

Thousands of Pakistanis are studying or working in Kyrgyzstan.