Afghan medical students face expulsion from Pakistan universities

Afghan medical students in Pakistan are facing potential expulsion following an order by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC). The council informed academic institutions that no facilitation for Afghan nationals is permitted for the current academic session, stating that previously enrolled students in medical or dental programs must return to Afghanistan due to “national policy directions.”

The move has drawn sharp criticism from international organizations. Amnesty International described the decision as “discriminatory and arbitrary,” while Human Rights Watch urged authorities to reverse the order, noting the specific threat to Afghan women who are already barred from higher education under the Taliban government in Afghanistan.

Legal challenges are currently underway. A court hearing in Lahore is expected to determine the fate of several dozen students. While a judge in Punjab had previously suspended an expulsion order at the provincial level, some students report that their academic records have already been removed from university platforms.