PESHAWAR: As the government’s deadline for the departure of Afghan medical students and doctors undergoing training in Pakistan expired on Saturday, students admitted to medical colleges on reserved seats sought exemptions from the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council’s directives to produce valid documents to continue their education.

They insist that those who got enrolled under the Afghan quota and qualified the Medical and Dental College Admission Test should be allowed to complete their degrees.

“Under the Afghan quota, 12 students are admitted every year. At least 80 are studying in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after arriving through legal channels,” Anayatullah, a focal person for Afghan students, told Dawn.

He said visa applications of those students had either been rejected or were still pending.

Urge Pakistani authorities to allow them to complete degrees despite documentation requirements

The focal person said the PMDC directives would benefit only students who had arrived under the Allama Iqbal Scholarship programme and would receive government clearance.

He said around 1,000 Afghan students, including 350 women, would be affected as they had no facilities to continue their education back home.

Anayatullah said cases were pending before high courts but there was little hope of relief because the policy had been framed by the government.

The federal government had directed Afghan students and doctors undergoing training at medical colleges and hospitals to produce the required documents or leave Pakistan by Saturday (Oct 10).

A letter issued by the PMDC to medical superintendents and deans of medical and dental colleges referred to instructions conveyed by the Prime Minister’s Office through the Ministry of Economic Affairs regarding Afghan nationals undergoing postgraduate training in the country.

Officials said all Afghan doctors enrolled in postgraduate training programmes, including FCPS, MCPS, MD and MS, as well as those pursuing specialisation in other disciplines and house officers, had been directed to return by Oct 10.

They also said the PMDC had instructed hospitals and colleges to immediately inform all Afghan postgraduate trainees working under their supervision about the government’s directives and act accordingly.

Officials said the heads of relevant departments at colleges and hospitals had been directed to ensure that no training or clinical duties continue in violation of the government’s instructions, subject to any subsequent orders issued by the competent authority. They said the PMDC had sought written compliance reports, declaring the matter “most urgent”.

Officials said the regulator received similar instructions regarding Afghan nationals seeking enrolment in MBBS and BDS programmes, as well as those admitted in postgraduate training programmes in Pakistan, for immediate compliance within the stipulated deadline.

They said the PMDC had also asked colleges and hospitals to immediately provide information about Afghan doctors and students for submission to the Prime Minister’s Office.

Officials said authorities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had asked colleges to furnish information about Afghan students by tomorrow (Monday).

They added that the Afghan students would have to submit documents, including valid Afghan passports, visas or stay permits and no-objection certificates or clearances issued by the Ministry of Interior in Islamabad.

Officials said Punjab’s colleges and hospitals had directed Afghan postgraduate trainees to leave the premises, vacate hostels and obtain the required clearances under national policy.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2026