Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) has urgently requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and ensure the safety, security and welfare of Indian students, especially those from Kashmir, in Iran, amid widespread protests and crackdowns.
JKSA in a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said, “In the letter addressed to the Prime Minister, the association has expressed deep anxiety and grave concern over the plight of hundreds and thousands of Indian students, a majority of them from Jammu and Kashmir, who are pursuing MBBS and other professional medical courses in Iran due to its economically viable education system and long-standing academic ties with India.”
National Convenor of JKSA, Nasir Khuehami, in a statement said that nearly 2,000 Kashmiri students are presently enrolled in medical universities across different provinces of Iran.
He said, “These students are heavily dependent on local hostels, universities, public transport, and essential services, making them extremely vulnerable during periods of internal conflict, political upheaval, and civil unrest.”
Khuehami further said that the prevailing situation has created an atmosphere of fear, uncertainty, and helplessness, with students feeling unsafe, exposed, and stranded.
“JKSA has been receiving continuous distress calls and messages from students and their families, who have expressed serious concerns over restricted mobility, sporadic internet shutdowns, lack of timely and clear safety advisories and the absence of visible contingency measures on the ground,” he said.
Seeking immediate remedial measures, Khuehami requested the Prime Minister to direct the Ministry of External Affairs to establish dedicated, responsive, and round-the-clock communication channels between Indian students in Iran and the Indian Embassy in Tehran.
“The Association specifically requested regular outreach by embassy officials, activation of dedicated emergency helplines, issuance of clear and timely advisories, and uninterrupted channels of communication to ensure students remain informed, reassured, and supported at all times,” it reads.
“JKSA emphasised that the safety, dignity, and well-being of Kashmiri students studying abroad are a collective national responsibility and must remain paramount. A prompt and decisive action by the Government would not only safeguard lives but also reassure students and their families and reaffirm India’s moral and constitutional obligation towards its citizens abroad,” reads the statement.
