Pakistan’s medical regulator has directed universities to facilitate departure of enrolled Afghan nationals and has banned new admissions, transfers or facilities in medical and dental colleges during the current session.

The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has issued firm directives requiring Afghan nationals enrolled in medical and dental programmes across Pakistan to return to Afghanistan, while strictly prohibiting any new admissions, placements, transfers, migrations or other facilities for Afghan citizens during the current academic session. 

The move, outlined in an official letter, comes against a backdrop of deteriorating bilateral relations and intensified repatriation efforts targeting Afghan nationals in Pakistan.

Directive Reiterates Earlier Instructions

In a letter issued by the Head of the Council Department, the PMDC instructed all universities and their affiliated public and private medical and dental institutions to strictly comply with instructions first issued on July 31, 2026. The September communication reinforces that Afghan nationals already enrolled must be sent back in line with existing policy. Institutions have been told to complete necessary administrative procedures, issue the required No Objection Certificates (NOCs), and facilitate their departure without delay.

The Council clarified that, until further orders, no Afghan national may receive admission, placement, transfer, migration or any other form of educational facility in medical or dental education. Institutions that have not yet submitted compliance reports must provide the PMDC with complete details of Afghan students within three days. Failure to comply, delays, concealment of information or unauthorised facilitation will be treated seriously, with possible regulatory action under the PMDC Act, 2022.

A PMDC official confirmed the authenticity of the September 1 letter, which stresses that the matter is of the highest priority and relates to national policy directives. The regulator did not publicly disclose the total number of Afghan medical and dental students currently enrolled nationwide.

The order follows an earlier order on 31 August 2025, in which Pakistan’s government ordered all Afghan nationals to leave the country or face arrest and deportation. 

Immediate Action at King Edward Medical University

The impact is already visible at major institutions. King Edward Medical University (KEMU) in Lahore has begun implementing the order. A letter from the university’s Registrar’s Office directed relevant authorities to complete all necessary procedures concerning Afghan students through the office of the Assistant Registrar, MBBS, within 24 hours.

According to a list issued by KEMU, 22 Afghan nationals are associated with the MBBS programme. One student is in the first year, six in the second year, four in the third year, one in the fourth year and eight in the final year. Two individuals are listed as having recently completed graduation. This means a significant proportion of the affected students at the university have already reached advanced stages of their medical training, raising questions about the disruption to near-complete degrees.

Broader Context of Repatriation and Tensions

The PMDC order represents an extension of restrictions that have increasingly affected Afghans in Pakistan. It applies not only to undocumented migrants or those without valid visas but also to students who were legally admitted and have spent years in the country’s professional education system. The directive arrives as Islamabad intensifies the repatriation and deportation of Afghans following a sharp deterioration in ties with Kabul, driven by concerns over militant violence and months of deadly cross-border hostilities.

According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 2.6 million Afghans returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan between September 2023 and July 2026. Pakistan maintains that these measures are necessary for national security and immigration enforcement. Rights groups and the United Nations have raised concerns about forced returns, particularly affecting vulnerable groups.

Earlier episodes illustrate the evolving pressures on Afghan students. In February 2026, for instance, Bahawalpur police detained 12 Afghan medical students enrolled at Quaid-e-Azam Medical College over expired visas and Proof of Registration cards. Authorities later allowed them temporary relief to continue their education pending further orders, after intervention by the Punjab government. Such cases highlight how visa and documentation issues have repeatedly intersected with academic pursuits.

Challenges for Students Midway Through Degrees

For students already deep into their programmes, the order poses acute difficulties. Those in final or penultimate years face the prospect of interrupted clinical training and incomplete qualifications. Returning to Afghanistan may involve additional hurdles related to credential recognition, financial costs of relocation, and the practical challenges of resuming studies under different institutional and regulatory systems.

Female Afghan students face particular uncertainty. Afghanistan’s restrictions on women’s higher education under Taliban rule have long made Pakistan an alternative destination for many seeking medical and related professional training. The sudden requirement to return raises concerns about whether these students will be able to continue or complete their education at home.

Legal and education observers have noted potential consequences including disruption of studies, expenses associated with departure, and difficulties in establishing equivalence of partially completed programmes. Institutions have been directed to prioritise administrative formalities so that departures can proceed in an orderly manner.

Related Regulatory Measures on Afghan Qualifications

The current directive on enrolled students occurs alongside separate PMDC measures affecting recognition of medical qualifications obtained in Afghanistan. In a public notice dated July 31, 2026, the Council reiterated that Pakistani nationals graduating from Afghan medical and dental institutions would not be eligible to sit the National Registration Examination (NRE) or seek registration to practise in Pakistan. This is because Afghan institutions are not currently included on the list recognised by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). The notice advised students and prospective applicants to make informed decisions accordingly, stating that no exemptions would be granted.

While that policy targets Pakistani citizens studying in Afghanistan, the new order directly addresses Afghan citizens studying in Pakistan. Together they reflect a tightening regulatory environment linking education access to broader national and security considerations.

Compliance Deadlines and Institutional Responsibilities

Universities and colleges have been placed under clear timelines. Those yet to report must submit full details of Afghan students within three days of the latest communication. KEMU’s internal instruction of a 24-hour window for completing formalities underscores the urgency conveyed to individual institutions. The PMDC has emphasised that both public and private medical and dental colleges fall under the same obligations.

Officials have not indicated any blanket exemptions for students close to graduation. The letter requires recording and confirmation of graduation and departure status where studies have already been completed. Institutions remain responsible for ensuring that administrative processes, including issuance of NOCs, are handled promptly to facilitate return.

Implications for Medical Education Landscape

The decision is expected to reduce the presence of Afghan nationals in Pakistan’s medical and dental colleges for the foreseeable future, at least until further orders. It also signals that professional education pathways previously open to Afghan citizens are now subject to the same policy framework governing broader Afghan presence in the country.

As institutions move to implement the directives, attention will focus on how smoothly the administrative processes unfold, whether any hardship cases receive individual consideration, and how returning students navigate the next steps in their education and careers. The PMDC has framed the measures as compliance with national policy, leaving limited room for institutional discretion.