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Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/5/23/israels-war-on-gaza-live-news-full-scale-rafah-invasion-appears-imminent

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar Wednesday said that the Pakistani government has decided to form a fact-finding committee to probe the factors and causes that led to the mob attacks on Pakistani students in Kyrgyzstan capital Bishkek. Additional Secretary Administration Muhammad Saleem will be heading the committee which will probe into the developments pertaining to the violence that ensued last week. Addressing a presser in Islamabad, flanked by Foreign Secretary Syrus Sajjad Qazi, Dar said the committee has been ordered to complete its report within two weeks. The committee will also probe about the role of the Pakistani Mission in facilitating the students in the Kyrgyz capital. The committee, Dar added, will coordinate with Kyrgyz authorities and review all the findings and developments. At least five Pakistani students were reported injured in the violence which was triggered following a harassment incident on May 13 involving Egyptian students in the Kyrgyz capital. A day earlier, Dar visited Bishkek to discuss the “concerns” of Pakistani students who among other foreign nationals suffered mob attacks by locals last week. The visit came as Pakistan ramped up evacuations of its students from Bishkek with over 3,000 pupils returning to the country so far. After reaching Bishkek, FM Dar held a detailed meeting with his Kyrgyz counterpart Kulubaev Zheenbek Moldokanovich. Dar, during the presser, said that he had discussed the students’ issue with his Kyrgyz counterpart in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana, where they were visiting for a separate meeting. “The Kyrgyz FM had assured me that there is nothing to worry about.” During his time in Bishkek, the deputy premier also visited the hospital where injured Pakistani students were being treated. He informed media in Islamabad that the Kyrgyz president also assured him that he would not tolerate such an incident and that those involved in attacks have been arrested. Dar was informed by Pakistani Ambassador Hassan Zaigham that at least 1,100 workers arrived in Kyrgyzstan through agents and continue to live there without visas. He added that these workers are employed in different factories. Dar requested the Kyrgyz government to issue visas to the workers instead of deporting them and was assured by Kyrgyzstan’s deputy prime minister regarding the issuance of visas. The deputy premier added that the students are scared following the riots in the Kyrgyz capital. “Students who are in their final year [of studies] should come back after completing their degree,” Dar said. Source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1191877-inquiry-committee-formed-to-investigate-bishkek-mob-attacks

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/5/22/irans-raisi-funeral-live-ex-president-to-be-buried-after-helicopter-crash

About 540 Pakistani students have so far arrived in the country from Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek after a plane carrying the third group landed in Lahore, Geo News reported on Monday. A number of the students’ relatives and a government delegation led by Information Minister Ataullah Tarar came to the Lahore airport to receive the 170 students coming from Bishkek. Approximately, 130 students landed here in a plane on Saturday night and 175 others on Sunday. Talking to journalists at the Allama Iqbal International Airport, Tarar said he comforted the pupils as they were shocked of the situation they encountered abroad. “On the order of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, we have made arrangements to escort the students to their houses. Arrangements have been made for four students belonging to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well,” he said. The minister said the government was continuously in contact with the Kyrgyz government, adding that they would talk to improve security of the students studying there. Students’ lives ‘at risk’ Talking to Geo News, a student Mohammad Noor Wazir on Sunday said situation in Bishkek was not under control and his and other students’ lives were at risk. “I should be provided safe passage from hostel to the airport,” he demanded from the authorities. Another student, Danish Khattak, said the place was not even 1% safe as they could not step out of their room. “Neither the university management nor ambassador came to our assistance. We appeal the government of Pakistan to help us,” he said. Meanwhile, talking to media persons at the airport, students said they reached Lahore on their own and the government did not extend any support in this regard. ‘Situation under control’; govt ‘helping’ students On the other hand, the information minister, while speaking during a presser on Sunday, claimed the government was helping the students who wanted to come back. Whereas, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said fake news was being spread on social media about casualties. He said his Kyrgyz counterpart said their opposition was running campaigns against international students as they opposed the Kyrgyz government’s policy. Dar said that he was going to Bishkek, however, the Kyrgyz FM told him not to come as he assured that the situation was under control. Not a single student had been killed, he added. The minister said that about 11,000 students were in Bishkek while 6,000 others were in different cities. Emergency helpline numbers A day earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also activated its Crisis Management Unit on the instruction and issued emergency helpline numbers for Pakistani students. Pakistani nationals in the Kyrgyz Republic and their families may contact the unit at 051-9203108 and 051-9203094. The CMU may also be contacted via email at: cmu1@mofa.gov.pk. The Pakistani embassy in Bishkek provided the following contact numbers for students to get in touch regarding any emergency situation: +996555554476, +996507567667, +996550730550 and +996501140874 In a statement on her X handle, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zehra Baloch said the Pakistan embassy has opened emergency helplines and is responding to queries of students and their families. What happened in Bishkek? Mohammad Abdullah, a Pakistani medical student in Bishkek, told Geo News that the dispute began over the harassment of Egyptian students by those from Kyrgyztan. The riots, however, broke out after Egyptian students confronted them, he added. Abdullah mentioned that the Kyrgyz students then began attacking foreign students, including Pakistani students, across Bishkek. Students have also complained about non-cooperation of Pakistan embassy in the midst of the violence unfolding in the capital city. According to local media in Kyrgyzstan, a fight between local and foreign students broke out in a hostel in the capital city on May 13. At least three foreigners, involved in the dispute, were taken into custody. On the evening of May 17, the local media reported, locals protested in Bishkek, demanding action against the foreigners involved in the dispute. The chief of Bishkek’s Interior Affairs Directorate requested to end the protest, while the detained foreigners also apologised later. The Kyrgyz media reported that the protesters refused to disperse, instead more people gathered at the spot after which the authorities detained several of them for violating public order. As per local media, the protesters dispersed after negotiations with the head of federal police. Source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1191144-over-470-students-returned-from-bishkek

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/5/20/live-irans-president-raisi-fm-amirabdollahian-killed-in-helicopter-crash

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/5/20/israels-war-on-gaza-live-al-awda-hospital-runs-out-of-drinking-water

The Awami Action Committee (AAC)-led long march on Monday left for Muzaffarabad, capital of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), as the shutter-down strike against inflated utility bills and taxes continued for fourth day. Demonstrators have blocked the 40-kilometres long Kohala-Muzaffarabad Road at various points paralysing the entire transport system around it. The demonstrators would take the same artery from Dhirkot via Kohalad town to reach Muzaffarabad. A large number of Rangers and AJK police personnel have taken positions in the territory after the AJK government summoned them following clashes between the police and protestors in Mirpur during protests that killed a police official and injured more than 70 other people. Heavy contingents of police have been posted at roundabouts and sensitive locations, while markets, trade centres and educational institutes remain closed, while transport is suspended. PM Shehbaz summons meeting On the other hand, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has convened a high-level meeting on Monday to discuss the ongoing situation in AJK as the negotiations between the protesters and the state government ended in a deadlock. Expressing deep concerns over the violent clashes between the AJK police and the protesters, PM Shehbaz on Sunday said that there should be “absolutely no tolerance for taking the law in one’s own hands”. The premier further said that he had spoken to AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq and also directed all Pakistan Muslim League-N office bearers in AJK to talk to the leaders of the action committee. “I urge all parties to resort to peaceful course of action for resolution of their demands. Despite best efforts of detractors, the matter will hopefully be settled soon.” President calls for restraint As part of his efforts to calm down tensions, President Asif Ali Zardari urged all the stakeholders to exercise restraint and resolve the issues in AJK through dialogue and mutual consultation. He stressed that the political parties, state institutions and the people of AJK should act responsibly so that hostile elements could not exploit the situation to their benefit. The president highlighted that the demands of the people of AJK should be addressed as per law, adding that he would take up the grievances of the people of AJK with PM Shehbaz to find a way out of the current situation. The president regretted the current situation and offered condolences over the unfortunate death of the police officer and prayed for swift recovery of all those who were injured in recent clashes. As part of his efforts to calm down tensions, President Zardari urged all the stakeholders to exercise restraint and resolve the issues in AJK through dialogue and mutual consultation. AAC distances itself from violence Meanwhile, the central leadership of the AAC has distanced itself from the violent incidents that occurred during the protests. One of the AAC members, Sajid Jagwal, said their movement was peaceful. He said that they had been sitting for two days and no incident had happened. Another member, Tauseef Mansoor, said that the committee had nothing to do with the two to three incidents that had happened during the protests. Anjuman Tajran President Sahabzada Waqas said that the protest was not against the state or any institution. “This army is ours and this country is ours. We are neither against the army nor against Pakistan or any other institution,” said the president. AJK demonstrations The AAC called for a shutter down and wheel-jam strike across the state to protest the electricity price hike and taxes. However, the situation escalated as the protestors and police clashed. A sub-inspector was killed while dozens other policemen and protesters also got injured during the teargas shelling by the police and stone pelting by the demonstrators. The violent protesters damaged multiple vehicles, including a magistrate’s car at the Poonch-Kotli road. Moreover, markets, trade centres, offices and schools and restaurants remained closed across the AJK. Police also launched a crackdown against the protesters after the events of violence, arresting dozens of individuals in the AJK capital. A day earlier, the government also suspended mobile phone and internet services in different parts of AJK including Bhimber and Bagh Towns. Meanwhile, in Mirpur, all the mobile networks and internet service had been suspended. Source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1188500-march-heads-toward-muzaffarabad-as-strike-against-inflation-enters-fourth-day

At least 41 people have now been confirmed dead after hours of torrential rain triggered flash floods and cold lava flow from a volcano in western Indonesia over the weekend. A local disaster official told the AFP news agency that 17 other people remained missing after the downpour on Saturday night swept ash and large rocks down Mount Marapi, the most active volcano on Sumatra island. Three people are missing in the Agam district and 14 in Tanah Datar, both the worst-hit areas of the flood and home to hundreds of thousands of people, Ilham Wahab, an official with the West Sumatra disaster mitigation agency, told AFP. About 400 people, including police, soldiers and local rescue squads, have been deployed to search for the missing, using at least eight excavators and drones. Marapi erupted in December, killing more than 20 people. Cold lava, also known as lahar, is volcanic material such as ash, sand and pebbles carried down a volcano’s slopes by rain. The rain turned roads into muddy rivers, swept vehicles away and damaged homes and other buildings. Damage to the roads has hampered rescue efforts. Indonesia is prone to landslides and floods during the rainy season. In 2022, about 24,000 people were evacuated and two children were killed in floods on Sumatra island, with environmental campaigners blaming deforestation caused by logging for worsening the disaster. Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/5/13/death-toll-in-indonesian-floods-volcanic-mud-flows-rises-to-41