Around 1,000 Afghan students, including 350 women, are currently enrolled in medical and dental colleges across Pakistan and have urged the government to exempt them from repatriation so they can complete their education.
Anayatullah Momand, a final-year MBBS student at Khyber Medical College and spokesperson for Afghan medical students, said a recent directive from the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) had created uncertainty among students, particularly women.
He said around 200 Afghan students who had completed their house jobs and were awaiting admission to postgraduate specialisation programmes were also affected by the decision.
Momand urged the government to allow students already enrolled in Pakistani institutions to complete their degrees. He said the students did not oppose Pakistan’s broader policy regarding the admission of Afghan nationals but wanted existing students to be exempted.
He expressed particular concern about female students, saying many could be unable to continue their education if returned to Afghanistan due to restrictions imposed by the Taliban on women’s education.
According to Momand, the students had been admitted to Pakistani institutions through various legal channels and many held valid visas, while those with expired visas had applied for renewals.
He said some students had secured scholarships, others were admitted under Afghan national seats allocated by the Pakistani government, while some were studying under the Pakistan Technical Assistance Programme for Afghans.
Momand said the Afghan ambassador to Pakistan had recently assured students that they could be admitted to medical and dental colleges in Afghanistan if repatriated. However, he said the students were concerned about the international recognition of Afghan medical degrees.
He added that students had also raised concerns about the future of female medical students in Afghanistan but had not received a clear response.
Meanwhile, third-year medical student Najma Bibi said the issue remained unresolved despite temporary legal relief.
She noted that the Lahore High Court had suspended the PMDC directives issued on July 31 and Sept 1 concerning the admission of Afghan students. According to her, the suspension had provided temporary relief but did not resolve the students’ concerns over their continued stay and education in Pakistan.
Bibi, one of 22 Afghan students at King Edward Medical University, said the institution had directed Afghan nationals to vacate the campus by Sept 7. She urged the PMDC to reconsider its decision, particularly in view of the difficulties faced by female students.
Another third-year MBBS student, who requested anonymity, said returning to Afghanistan would effectively end the educational opportunities available to many women because of restrictions on female education.
She said she had arrived in Pakistan two years ago on an Allama Iqbal Scholarship with the aim of completing her medical education and eventually serving women in Afghanistan.
A first-year female medical student also expressed fears that her ambition to become a doctor could be jeopardised by the repatriation policy. She said returning to Afghanistan could expose students to difficult circumstances and possible legal consequences.
On Sept 1, the PMDC directed medical and dental colleges that had enrolled Afghan students to facilitate their return to Afghanistan in accordance with existing government policies.
The directive instructed the institutions to complete necessary administrative procedures, including issuing required no-objection certificates and facilitating the students’ departure.
