ISLAMABAD / QUETTA: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday suspended an expulsion order against Afghan national Dr Imadud Din, halted his deportation from Pakistan and directed that he be allowed to continue his postgraduate medical training.

IHC Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro granted the interim relief while hearing a constitutional petition filed by Dr Imadud Din’s wife, Mehar Zahoor, a Pakistani citizen, who challenged a notification issued by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) seeking the repatriation of Afghan students enrolled in medical and dental institutions.

During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel, Barrister Qasim Nawaz Abbasi, argued that the PMDC communication dated July 31, 2026, could not be applied retrospectively to doctors already undergoing training.

He contended that the petitioner’s husband was not a fresh applicant but an already enrolled trainee in the fifth year of his FCPS-II training in urology at Quaid-i-Azam Medical College (QAMC) and Bahawal Victoria Hospital (BVH), Bahawalpur.

BHC dismisses petitions by Afghan medical students; notes they don’t have absolute right to remain, study in Pakistan

The counsel informed the court that the competent authority at QAMC, on the recommendation of the head of department, had formally granted Dr Imadud Din an extension in his postgraduate training from Feb 28, 2026, to Feb 27, 2027.

Barrister Abbasi argued that the impugned communication directed institutions to initiate measures for the repatriation of Afghan students, a move that would cause irreparable professional and financial loss to the petitioner’s family, which included two children.

He maintained that while the petitioner did not object to future policies regulating admissions, trainees already enrolled and those granted extensions should be permitted to complete their training.

The counsel emphasised that terminating Dr Imadud Din’s training without prior notice or a meaningful opportunity of hearing violated constitutional guarantees under Articles 4, 9, 10-A, 14 and 35.

After hearing the arguments, Justice Soomro suspended the operation of the impugned communication to the extent of its application to Dr Imadud Din and restrained the respondents from terminating, discontinuing or obstructing his ongoing postgraduate training solely based on the PMDC letter.

The court adjourned the proceedings and issued notices to the secretary of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, the president and registrar of the PMDC, the principal of Quaid-i-Azam Medical College, and the secretary of Punjab’s Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department, seeking their responses.

BHC dismisses pleas

Meanwhile, the Balochistan High Court on Tuesday dismissed constitutional petitions seeking permission for Afghan nationals to continue medical and dental education, as well as postgraduate training, in Pakistan.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Muhammad Aamir Nawaz Rana and Justice Abdul Qayyum Lehri announced the verdict on two petitions filed by Afghan students, upholding the state policy concerning the stay and education of foreign nationals in Pakistan.

The court held that foreign nationals did not have an absolute or permanent right to remain, study or undergo professional training in Pakistan in a manner contrary to state policy.

The bench also declined to interfere with directions issued by the PMDC concerning the admission, transfer and facilitation of Afghan nationals in medical institutions.

The court observed that matters relating to immigration, the return of foreign nationals and national security primarily fell within the domain of the executive authorities.

However, it stressed that Afghan nationals must be treated with human dignity and fairness and in accordance with the law. The petitions were dismissed at the preliminary stage.

Published in Dawn, September 16th, 2026