ISLAMABAD – The Pakistani embassy in the Central Asian country has established help desks in the Kazakh cities of Nursultan and Almaty to facilitate citizens amid unpredictable situations following deadly riots.
A statement issued by the Pakistan embassy said it has immediately set up a help desk in Kazakh cities to provide possible assistance to the Pakistan community residing in the country in wake of the prevailing security situation.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been in close contact with the Pakistan Embassy in Kazakhstan with a view to providing all possible assistance to the Pakistani community residing there. The embassy has reported that all Pakistanis are safe", Foreign Office Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar said.
Foreign Office spokesperson also advised all Pakistani citizens living in Kazakhstan have been advised to restrict unnecessary movement and remain in close contact with the Embassy in case of any emergency.
Officials also shared contact details of the help desks:
*Nursultan *– Mr. Altaf Hussain (Deputy Head of Mission, Nursultan) – Phone No: +77753712102
*Almaty *– Mr. Muhammad Farooque (Trade & Investment Counsellor, Almaty) – Phone No: +77004488032
Mr. Mohsin Rashid (Consular Attaché) – Phone No: +77026572163
The protests sparked by fuel prices in the Central Asian country become a general protest against corruption and inequality. Security forces have killed around 26 protesters in this week’s unrest while 18 law-enforcement officers died.
The recent protests in Kazakhstan are the most widespread since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.