Afghan students enrolled in medical and dental colleges across Pakistan have been ordered to return to Afghanistan, leaving those still studying, including some nearing graduation, facing the loss of years of education under a decision Amnesty International called “patently discriminatory and arbitrary”.
A Sept. 1, 2026, communiqué from the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) barred medical and dental colleges from granting admission or placement to Afghan students during the current academic session and said Afghan nationals previously enrolled in such programmes were “required to return to Afghanistan”.
The communiqué directed all institutions to complete the necessary administrative formalities, including issuing no-objection certificates (NOCs), to facilitate the departure of Afghan students.
“It is further reiterated that Afghan nationals previously enrolled in medical or dental programmes in Pakistan are required to return to Afghanistan, in accordance with the prevailing policy directions,” the PMDC communiqué said.
“The concerned institutions shall ensure that all necessary administrative formalities, including issuance of requisite NOCs and facilitation of their departure are completed, accordingly,” the council added.
The decision comes amid Pakistan’s wider campaign against Afghan nationals, which has involved arrests, deportations, evictions and the loss of homes and property. Amnesty International has repeatedly raised concerns over the arrest, harassment and forced return of Afghan refugees during the campaign.
In a statement posted on X, Amnesty described the PMDC decision as “patently discriminatory and arbitrary”, saying its consequences would be especially severe for female students.
The rights organisation said many Afghan women and girls had already been denied access to higher education in Afghanistan amid what it described as the Taliban’s “ongoing gender persecution” and now risked losing one of the few remaining pathways available to pursue their education and profession.
“Many of these students will have devoted years studying medicine, only to see their education brought to an abrupt and unjustifiable end, with little prospect of being able to resume their studies elsewhere,” Amnesty said.
It reminded Pakistan of its obligations under international human rights law to uphold the right to education without discrimination based on national origin.
Amnesty urged Pakistani authorities to adopt a “humane and practical solution” allowing Afghan students, including women and girls, to complete their education.