LHC moved against PMDC's directives for repatriation of Afghan students

Thirteen Afghan medical students filed multiple petitions against the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) directives on Thursday, requesting the Lahore High Court (LHC) to declare the orders illegal and unconstitutional. The petitioners, including seven women and six men, were enrolled at various institutions in Lahore, such as King Edward Medical University and the Services Institute of Medical Sciences.

The students argued that PMDC lacked legal authority to expel them under the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council Act 2023, emphasizing the need for the council's actions to comply with the Constitution and Pakistan's international legal obligations. Many of the petitioners were recipients of scholarships provided by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) through the Allama Iqbal Scholarship programme.

Nilofar Nikzad, a petitioner, explained that she had completed two years of medical studies in Afghanistan before being forced to leave due to Taliban restrictions on women's education. The students claimed that their evictions from hostels and lack of accommodation caused significant distress, prompting them to seek judicial recourse.

The LHC is yet to schedule a hearing for the petitions, which challenge two PMDC directives issued on July 31 and September 1. The PMDC's decision to expel Afghan students from Pakistani colleges came amid tensions between Islamabad and Kabul. The Foreign Office spokesperson stated that any foreign national without a valid visa and passport is liable to deportation under the Illegal Foreigner Repatriation Plan (IFRP).

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) condemned the PMDC's decision, warning that it could lead to a humanitarian crisis, affecting around 100 Afghan medical and dental students in Lahore, including 20 to 40 women.