LHC suspends PMDC directives ordering Afghan medical students to return home

The Lahore High Court recently suspended the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council's (PMDC) recent directives for Afghan medical students to return to Afghanistan. The PMDC had ordered medical and dental colleges to stop admitting, placing, transferring, or facilitating Afghan nationals during the current academic session. This directive affected students at universities like King Edward Medical University, who were ordered to report within 24 hours.

The court heard petitions from 13 Afghan medical students, arguing that the PMDC's actions exceeded its legal authority and violated their rights to education, life, and dignity. The court ruled that the PMDC's directives were illegal and unconstitutional, allowing the students to continue their studies and return to their hostels.

The petitioners, including seven women and six men, argued that they were enrolled at various medical institutions in Lahore and had not been given a choice to remain in Pakistan. Many had received scholarships under the Higher Education Commission’s Allama Iqbal Scholarship Programme. The court's decision highlights concerns over the sudden implementation of the directives and the distress it caused to Afghan students across Pakistan.