LHC extends stay against deportation of Afghan students

The Lahore High Court extended a stay on Friday against the expulsion and deportation of Afghan medical students, granting the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) additional time to file its response. Justice Khalid Ishaq heard petitions filed by more than 30 Afghan students, including Syed Mubeenul Fatti, challenging the PMDC's notifications.

A PMDC counsel informed the court that the Prime Minister's Office had instructed authorities to permit the Afghan students to continue their studies, provided they met valid visa and immigration requirements. When the judge inquired about a written reply from the PMDC, the counsel requested more time to submit it. The judge granted the request and adjourned the hearing to a later date, while extending the restraining order against the authorities from deporting the students.

The petitioners argued that deportation notifications had been issued on July 31 and September 1, challenging their legality and urging the court to strike them down. The court had previously suspended the implementation of PMDC directives ordering Afghan medical students to return to Afghanistan on September 11.