PMDC instructs medical, dental colleges not to admit Afghan students for 'current academic session’'
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has barred medical and dental colleges from granting admission or placement to Afghan students for the current academic session, and students previously enrolled in such programmes are “required to return to Afghanistan”, Dawn has learnt. The policy decision was conveyed by the council to public and private medical institutions across the…
The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has ordered medical and dental colleges across Pakistan to cease admitting and placing Afghan students for the current academic session. Students previously enrolled in such programs are instructed to return to Afghanistan, according to a Sept 1, 2026 PMDC communique obtained by Dawn.
The directive, which applies solely to Afghan students, mandates institutions to finalize administrative procedures for expelling these individuals, including issuing necessary NOCs and facilitating their departure. The decision stems from tensions between Islamabad and Kabul and the repatriation of Afghan nationals deemed illegal due to the lack of valid visas and passports.
Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan emphasized that Pakistani authorities are processing visa extension applications for Afghan students per standard procedures. The move comes amid a deteriorating relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with Pakistan urging the Afghan Taliban to address security concerns.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
