BAHAWALPUR: The Quaid-i-Azam Medical College (QAMC) Bahawalpur has begun the process to immediately expel its 20 Afghan postgraduate residents (PGRs) and students.

Last month, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) had issued a notification, asking colleges and universities to disenroll Afghan students and trainee doctors. The notification was suspended by the high court. It had received a backlash from human rights bodies too.

Presently, the expulsion process of 12 PGRs and eight students at the QAMC is going on.

Dawn has learnt that 12 PGRs have been asked to vacate hostels and complete the process to leave their respective departments and courses, including FCPS, surgery, urology, radiology, cardiology and others. In addition, the process to expel eight medical students is also in progress.

The Afghan students have been directed to clear their dues and obtain no objection certificates (NOCs) and clearance certificates from their departments and return to their country at the earliest.

A QAMC source confirmed to Dawn that the action had been taken in accordance with the continuation of previous order while now the fresh orders have also been issued in the light of the instructions from the government.

It is further learnt that the college administration has also moved the district police officer (DPO), director finance QAMC, UHS and Punjab Health Foundation and sent its students passport numbers and other particulars with a directive to do the needful and make arrangements for the Afghan students return to their country.

On Sept 1, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) had issueda notification directing Afghan medical students enrolled in Pakistani colleges “to return to Afghanistan”. The notification also barred medical and dental colleges from granting admission or placement to Afghan students for the current academic session.

Soon after, reports circulated on media about the alleged expulsion of Afghan nationals who were studying at public sector medical colleges in Punjab, including King Edward Medical University (KEMU), Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Medical & Dental College and the Services Institute of Medical Sciences.

Thirteen Afghan medical students had filed multiple petitions before the Lahore High Court (LHC), challenging directives from the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) that ordered their return to Afghanistan.

On Sept 11, the Lahore High Court (LHC) suspended the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council’s (PMDC) directives that had ordered Afghan medical students to return to the neighbouring country.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2026