Amid massive protests and an internet shutdown in Iran, parents of Kashmiri students who remain stranded in the country have appealed to the Centre to facilitate their return.
Speaking to The Indian Express, some family members expressed concern over the difficulty in getting in touch with the students due to connectivity issues.
“There is no internet, and we have been unable to reach them on direct calls when we dial from here. When she calls, we manage to talk for barely a minute or two. It’s been an anxious time,” said Altaf Ahmad, whose sister Sobia is an MBBS student at Tehran University.
He said Sobia left for Tehran just a month ago and was still settling in when the situation in Iran turned turbulent. “When I last spoke to her, she said some of the girls from her hostel went out for groceries and came back injured. Since then, no one has gone out. The girls bought a kilo of rice for Rs 2,200. How long will they survive on it?”
Urging the government to facilitate the students’ return, Ahmad said that since it is difficult for them to even step out for essentials, reaching the embassy or the airport would be a tall order. “I cannot buy her a ticket and send it to her because the internet is shut. She has no access to her funds. How will she even get a taxi to get to the airport?” Ahmed said.
Afroza, the mother of a student at Arak University, nearly 300 km from Tehran, is also eager for her daughter’s return. “There are more than 150 students at that university. All are very anxious. I spoke to her yesterday, and the Indian Embassy has asked them to submit their passports. I hope that we will see her back soon,” she told The Indian Express.
She said her daughter, whose name she did not want published, has been studying at the university for the last two years. But now, it is difficult to step out from the campus, she said. “Sometimes, there are clashes between pro-regime and anti-regime groups, and it makes the situation more dire,” Afroza said.
Story continues below this ad
Another parent, Mohammad Yasin, said that with families unable to send money to the students stuck in Iran, “We can only have hope on the government at this point. I hope they will help with the evacuation in time.”
While the Indian Embassy has already urged Indian citizens in Iran to leave the country, parents in Kashmir say that without access to funds, these students cannot find a way to do so.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Thursday that he spoke to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar regarding the situation.
“Just spoke to EAM Dr S Jaishankar ji about the evolving situation in Iran. He shared his assessment of the ground situation and the plans that the External Affairs Ministry is working on. I’m grateful for his assurance that all steps will be taken to safeguard the interests and lives of students and other people from J&K who are in Iran now,” the Chief Minister wrote on X.
