Kyrgyz chaos

Over 130 Pakistanis are back from the city of Osh in Kyrgyzstan. Air lifts continue to bring back others. Most are students. There are many messages from the unfortunate rioting in the Central Asian Republic. The fact that the government has woken up to it is good news. It is unfortunate it took the tragic death of a Pakistani student to drive home the lesson and begin a rescue operation to save stranded citizens.

This is also an opportunity to look beyond the immediate dimensions of what happened. The ethnic rioting in Kyrgyzstan, coupled with earlier violence in the republic that was triggered by poor governance and perceptions of government incompetence is in some ways at least a familiar story for many of us at home. Some of us wonder how long it will be before the anger and frustration of people spills over into rage on the streets, as is happening in Kyrgyzstan. This is something we need to avoid. The government still has time to put a halt on dangerous developments. But it must remember that it may not be able to do so in the future. The scenes being reported from Kyrgyzstan, where borders have been sealed as refugees try to flee and Moscow speaks of possible military action, offer a living example of why it is vital that the currents that tug and pull just below the surface in our country not be allowed to get out of hand.

There are other things to consider too. It is sad so many students from the country feel compelled to travel overseas, sometimes to countries whose qualifications are not recognised at home. Some are exploited by unscrupulous agents; others are simply desperate to get out any way they can. Many land up with degrees that serve little purpose in other places. The primary priority of our government must be to get people safely home. But in the longer run these other issues too must be considered in response to the crisis we see unfold to our north.

Published in the Express Tribune, June 16^th, 2010.