Pakistan PM&DC Clarifies Afghan Medical Student Enrollment, Denies Nationality Ban

The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC) clarified on Thursday that foreign nationals are not barred from pursuing medical education in Pakistan, denying any nationality-based prohibition on medical education.

The PM&DC stated its review of Afghan medical students focuses on regulatory, documentation, and immigration requirements, not nationality. Foreign students meeting academic, registration, documentation, and immigration conditions can continue to study medicine and dentistry under applicable laws. The council's verification exercise found more than 200 Afghan students studying medicine in Pakistan, but only 22 were registered with the PM&DC.

Of these, 14 had completed their medical degrees, and eight were due to graduate next year. The PM&DC noted that graduating from a Pakistani institution does not automatically grant a foreign national the right to stay for employment or medical practice; licensing and registration requirements must be met separately. Verification for the remaining 176 students is ongoing.

Students without PM&DC registration or required permissions are not considered lawfully enrolled. This clarification follows reports that Pakistan had ordered medical institutions to expel Afghan students and halt fresh admissions amid worsening ties with Kabul. Thirteen Afghan medical students filed multiple petitions before the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday, challenging PM&DC directives that ordered their return to Afghanistan.

The petitioners, including seven women and six men enrolled at institutions in Lahore, argued that PM&DC and the colleges lacked legal authority to expel them. Many petitioners hold scholarships under the Higher Education Commission (HEC)-sponsored Allama Iqbal Scholarship programme. Nilofar Nikzad, one petitioner, stated she completed two years of medical studies in Afghanistan before being forced to abandon her education due to Taliban restrictions on women's access to education.