Pakistan’s court blocks expulsion of Afghan medical students

A Pakistani court halted an order on Friday by the country's medical board, preventing the expulsion of dozens of Afghan students pursuing medical degrees from their colleges and universities. The Lahore High Court extended the stay order for over a hundred Afghan medical students, allowing them to complete their studies until the next hearing, the court's decision confirmed.

Judge Khalid Ishaq set no date for the upcoming hearing. A similar petition was dismissed by a court in Balochistan province, while another remains pending in Sindh.

Earlier this month, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) sent a letter to academic institutions stating that no form of facilitation for Afghan nationals would be permitted during the current academic session. This order caused distress among Afghan students, with one student telling AFP, "It was like the death of my hopes to become a doctor."

The PMDC letter to college deans did not specify the authority behind the order but emphasized that the matter is of the highest priority and aligns with national policy directions.

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have deteriorated since the Taliban took power in Kabul in 2021, leading to weeks of conflict earlier this year. According to UN data, more than 2.5 million Afghans have been expelled or voluntarily left Pakistan over the past three years, as part of a deportation initiative by Islamabad. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International criticized the PMDC order as discriminatory and arbitrary.

Among the petitioners in Lahore is a 23-year-old student who was on the verge of completing her second-year studies when she was informed of her expulsion. The judge suspended the expulsion order at the provincial level on September 11, but the student claimed her records had already been erased from the university's online system. She expressed her determination to continue her medical education despite the setback, stating, "Never give up."

Asad Jamal, a lawyer representing the students in Lahore, criticized the PMDC's decision, arguing that it failed to provide any opportunity for the medics to be heard. The PMDC has not commented on the matter. Jamal also noted that even if the students lose their Lahore petition, the case could still be brought before Pakistan's Federal Constitutional Court.

Another student, Mubin Ulfati, who had just returned from a hospital shift when he was given 24 hours to leave the country, described the news as shocking and unmanageable. He emphasized that they are only students, not involved in any political activities.