PESHAWAR, June 26: The NWFP health department has warned the Afghan doctors to close down their clinics in the city immediately and go back to Afghanistan or to refugee camps, sources said.

“We have issued the warning to Afghan doctors after a directive was issued by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) in this regard,” said a health official.

He said the PMDC had expressed concern over the practice by Afghan doctors in the city and termed it a violation of its rules.

He said about 200 clinics and diagnostic centres run by Afghan doctors would be closed down very soon. They had been asked to relocate their clinics to their camps or go back to their country.

The official said these fully functional clinics are located in Board area, Afghan Colony, Shaheen Town, City Town, Haji Camp and Hayatabad and working without fulfilling any legal formality.

“The PMDC doesn’t recognise their degrees. Therefore, they have to close their clinics and hospitals,” the official said.

A clinic was sealed on Monday, he said, adding that raids would be conducted and arrests, besides imposing of penalties, would be made. Officials said most of these practitioners claimed to have studied medicine in Afghanistan, but practically they didn’t know anything about the profession as they had acquired fake degrees.