Lahore, September 9, 2026 : Pakistan has directed medical and dental institutions across the country to stop fresh admissions of Afghan students and initiate the departure of those already enrolled, amid worsening relations between Islamabad and Kabul.
The decision could affect hundreds of Afghan students pursuing undergraduate medical and dental courses in Pakistan, including students who are reportedly close to completing their degrees.
According to a senior government official, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has directed medical and dental institutions not to grant admission or placement to Afghan nationals during the current academic session.
The directive also asks Afghan students already studying in Pakistani institutions to return to Afghanistan.
The government official said the decision applies specifically to Afghan nationals and does not affect students from other foreign countries.
Foreign Office Clarifies Visa Position
Pakistan’s Foreign Office, however, indicated that Afghan students who possess valid passports, visas and residency documents may continue to apply for visa extensions under existing rules.
Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan, speaking to Dawn, said that under Pakistan’s Illegal Foreigner Repatriation Plan, foreign nationals staying in the country without valid passports and visas are considered to be staying illegally and may be subject to deportation.
He added that Pakistani authorities were continuing to process visa-extension applications from Afghan students in accordance with existing policies, rules and regulations.
KEMU Among First Institutions to Implement Order
The King Edward Medical University (KEMU) in Lahore has reportedly become the first public-sector medical institution to implement the directive.
A university official said 22 Afghan students are currently studying at KEMU and have been given 24 hours to complete the required legal and administrative formalities.
The move has raised concerns over the academic future of Afghan students who have spent years pursuing medical and dental education in Pakistan.
Relations Between Islamabad and Kabul Deteriorate
The development comes against the backdrop of increasingly strained relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Islamabad has repeatedly alleged that the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) operates from sanctuaries inside Afghanistan. The Taliban administration in Kabul has rejected the allegations.
Tensions intensified following a series of explosions in Kabul on October 9, 2025, followed by cross-border exchanges that resulted in casualties and damage on both sides.
Long History of Afghan Refugees in Pakistan
Millions of Afghans have sought refuge in Pakistan over several decades while fleeing successive conflicts in Afghanistan. The number increased significantly after the Taliban returned to power in 2021, when hundreds of thousands of Afghans entered Pakistan.
Pakistan launched a large-scale deportation campaign against undocumented foreigners in 2023 and renewed the drive in April 2025, after cancelling hundreds of thousands of residence permits held by Afghan nationals.
In June 2026, Pakistan’s Interior Ministry directed authorities to arrest Afghan nationals found living in the country without valid visas from July 10.
According to the information provided, more than one million Afghan nationals were deported from Pakistan during 2025 alone, highlighting the scale of Islamabad’s continuing repatriation campaign.
The latest directive targeting Afghan medical and dental students marks another significant development in Pakistan’s increasingly restrictive approach toward Afghan nationals as diplomatic and security tensions between the two neighbouring countries continue.
