A heartbreaking incident at Pakistan International School Jeddah has shaken the Pakistani community in Saudi Arabia, leaving parents in despair and community leaders outraged. What should have been a time of celebration around Independence Day has instead been overshadowed by allegations of misconduct against a senior consulate officer whose actions have landed more than a dozen Pakistani students behind bars.

The controversy traces back several months when Ali Adnan, the son of Adnan Khan, who currently serves as Head of Chancellery at the Pakistani Consulate in Jeddah, had a dispute with fellow students at the school. The administration intervened and eventually expelled him after repeated issues. Matters might have ended there, but they resurfaced recently when Ali Adnan returned from Italy. Reports suggest that he, accompanied by friends in a government vehicle, confronted and physically assaulted some of the students who had earlier disagreed with him.

The situation escalated dramatically the very next day when Adnan Khan allegedly used his position and influence to involve Jeddah police in the matter. More than 12 Pakistani students were arrested, including four under the age of 13. According to sources, the younger children were sent to Abhar Jail, while the older ones were detained at Sharqia Jail. The names of some arrested students, including Owais Ashraf, Abdul Qadeer Khan, Zeeshan Ashraf, Ali Murtaza Asghar, and Muhammad Faqir Ashraf, have been circulating within the community, sparking widespread concern.

Parents of the detained children, as well as community leaders, have expressed their deep anguish over the incident, stressing that the futures of these children are being put at risk. Local elders attempted to resolve the matter through traditional channels, including negotiations and even a jirga, resulting in a tentative peace agreement. Yet, despite these efforts, the children remain imprisoned more than two weeks later as legal proceedings continue in local courts.

What has further fueled anger within the community is the perception that the consulate, instead of safeguarding the interests of overseas Pakistanis, has aggravated the crisis. Consul General Khalid Majeed has been accused of siding with Adnan Khan and failing to intervene for the release of the children. Many in the community believe that the consulate’s influence, rather than providing relief, has only made the ordeal more complicated and prolonged.

Voices of protest are growing louder, with parents and community elders now appealing directly to Pakistan’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister to take immediate notice of the matter. They are demanding not only the urgent release of the detained students but also a review of consulate appointments in Jeddah, stressing that only those officials committed to the welfare of the Pakistani diaspora should hold such sensitive positions.

In the words of one community representative, “We need officers to help, not those who exploit the community intoxicated with power.” The incident has left a deep scar on the trust between the expatriate community and their consulate, and unless swift action is taken, it risks leaving long-lasting damage to both the reputation of Pakistan’s mission abroad and the faith of thousands of overseas Pakistanis in their representatives.