Lahore High Court orders not to expel Afghan medical students
Published 40 minutes ago | By Nouman Shakeel
The Lahore High Court has stopped the immediate expulsion of Afghan students studying in medical colleges in Punjab. The court made it clear that neither the admission of any student will be terminated nor will his examination paper be cancelled.
Justice Khalid Ishaq heard the petitions filed by more than 30 Afghan medical students. During the proceedings, the lawyer of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) took the stand that the visas of the concerned Afghan students were not valid.
On this, the court raised the question that if the visas were not valid, then how were the education visas issued while giving admission to the students. Justice Khalid Ishaq remarked that after wasting four years of the lives of these students, they are now being sent back.
Difference in the position of the court and PMDC
The lawyer of PMDC said that a notification was issued in this regard after the institution received orders. He said that in case of not having a valid visa, one is not allowed to stay in any country and this is a prevailing principle all over the world.
Justice Khalid Ishaq remarked that if students are to be sent back, they should be sent after completing their medical education. Citing the example of the United States, the court said that even there, it is not possible to stay without a valid visa, however, the courts are independent and the courts are also independent in Pakistan.
During the hearing, the PMDC’s lawyer termed the matter as related to state security, however, the court did not agree with this position.
PMDC’s September 1st instructions
Earlier, the PMDC had issued a letter on September 1, 2026, regarding Afghan medical and dental students studying in Pakistan. The letter directed the medical colleges to complete the administrative process for the return of Afghan students to Afghanistan and issue the required No Objection Certificate (NOC) to the relevant institutions.
According to the letter, a ban was imposed on medical and dental admissions of Afghan citizens in the current academic session. It was also directed not to allow placement, transfer and migration of Afghan nationals in medical and dental institutions.
PMDC asked medical and dental institutions not to provide any kind of facility to Afghan nationals and to strictly implement the previous instructions.
Instructions for action on violation
PMDC also directed the institutions that did not submit the compliance report to provide complete details within three days. The letter stated that action would be taken in case of non-compliance with the instructions, concealment of information or unauthorized facilitation.
According to PMDC, in case of violation, regulatory action could also be taken under the PMDC Act 2022.
However, the Lahore High Court has ordered on the pending petitions that no medical college in Punjab will expel an Afghan student or cancel his/her paper. The court adjourned further proceedings in the case till September 18.
