Minister receives students coming from Bishkek

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: On the instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Amir Muqam on Monday welcomed Pakistani students coming from Bashkek at the Islamabad Airport.

Talking to media, he said the prime minister immediately took steps to protect Pakistani students after violence, and he himself was monitoring the situation. He said: “Our first priority is the safety of Pakistani students.” He took information from the students about the tragic incidents that happened in Bashkek and asked about their problems.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has scheduled two special flights to evacuate the students from Bishkek. This urgent response comes after reports of increasing safety concerns for Pakistani nationals in the region. The first flight is set to reach Islamabad at 6am today, providing immediate relief to the affected students and their families. The second flight is scheduled to land in Lahore at 2pm today, ensuring that the students from different regions of Pakistan are accommodated. A PIA spokesperson affirmed the airline’s commitment to support compatriots in times of crisis, stating: “The national airline always stands by the side of its compatriots in times of trouble.”

The spokesperson said more flights would be operated based on government guidelines and as required to ensure the safety and well-being of Pakistani citizens. The Pakistani government and the PIA are closely monitoring the situation and prepared to take further action to protect and repatriate their nationals from Kyrgyzstan.