Pakistan Medical Regulator Orders Afghan Students Home

Pakistan's medical regulator has issued directives to halt new admissions for Afghan nationals and ordered currently enrolled Afghan students to return to Afghanistan. The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) communicated these instructions to medical and dental institutions across the country, affecting both public and private facilities. The directive mandates that institutions cease all new admissions, placements, transfers, and migrations of Afghan nationals until further notice. For students already enrolled in medical or dental programs, institutions are instructed to complete departure formalities and facilitate their return to Afghanistan. The PMDC stated the decision follows national policy directives and a council decision made on July 30. Institutions have been given three days to submit compliance reports detailing student information. The PMDC warned that failure to comply with the order would be viewed seriously and could lead to regulatory action under the PMDC Act of 2022. This move comes amid Pakistan's ongoing repatriation drive targeting undocumented foreign nationals, which has seen over a million Afghans deported since its commencement.