Repatriation of Afghan Students — The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has ordered all medical and dental colleges, public and private, to stop admitting, transferring, or placing Afghan nationals. The directive, first issued July 31, 2026 and reiterated September 1, also requires Afghan students already enrolled in these programs to return to Afghanistan.
This applies to enrolled students, not just those flagged for illegal entry or fraud. At King Edward Medical University in Lahore, one of the first institutions to act, 20 Afghan MBBS students were told to report to the assistant registrar within 24 hours to complete legal and administrative requirements. Seven of them were final-year students, close to finishing their degrees. PMDC has not said whether students near graduation will be exempted.
Officials have clarified one limit on scope: the decision applies only to Afghan nationals, not students of any other nationality.
Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan confirmed the policy falls under the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP). Under IFRP, any foreign national without a valid visa and passport is in Pakistan illegally and can be deported. Khan added that visa extension applications from Afghan students are still being processed under existing rules.
The directive is part of a larger campaign. Pakistan has deported more than one million Afghan nationals since the drive began in 2023, according to figures given to a Senate committee. Officials cite worsening relations with Kabul, including unresolved concerns over militant attacks launched from Afghan soil, as the backdrop for the current push.
The policy is specific to medical and dental education. It does not extend to other fields of study.
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