Pakistan orders Afghan medical students to return home

The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC) has ordered all Afghan medical and dental students currently enrolled in Pakistani institutions to return to Afghanistan. The directive, issued following national policy decisions, also prohibits medical and dental institutions from admitting new Afghan students or facilitating transfers and migrations for Afghan nationals during the current academic session.

Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran condemned the move, describing it as “petty, vindictive cruelty,” particularly noting that some affected students are in their final year of study. The decision comes amid deteriorating relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan and a broader Pakistani campaign to repatriate Afghan nationals, which has seen over 2.6 million Afghans return from Pakistan since September 2023.

The PM&DC has instructed institutions to complete administrative procedures, including issuing no-objection certificates, to facilitate the departure of these students. The mandate applies to both public and private medical and dental institutions across Pakistan.