PESHAWAR(The COW News Digital) Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser has strongly criticized a Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) notification concerning Afghan students studying in Pakistani medical and dental institutions, calling the move unreasonable and urging authorities to allow affected students to complete their education.
In a video statement, Qaiser said Afghan students had been admitted to medical colleges under government policies and were now being asked to leave the country before completing their degrees. He argued that decisions affecting students should not be driven by changing political relations between governments.
Qaiser said relations between neighboring countries could improve or deteriorate over time, but measures that disrupt students’ education could create resentment among ordinary people for years. He stressed that young students should not become victims of political or diplomatic tensions.
The PTI leader also questioned the humanitarian considerations behind the policy and demanded that the PMDC immediately withdraw its notification. He called on the authorities to provide Afghan students already enrolled in Pakistani institutions with an opportunity to complete their respective medical and dental programs.
Qaiser said he would raise the issue in the National Assembly and continue to pursue the matter through political and legal forums. A case challenging the decision has also reportedly been filed before the Peshawar High Court.
He further said that Afghan students should know that their concerns would be raised at every available forum. According to Qaiser, educational opportunities should be protected, particularly for students who have already begun professional degree programs.
The controversy follows a PMDC notification directing medical colleges to take administrative steps concerning Afghan students. The council has also instructed institutions regarding the issuance of required no-objection certificates and stated that Afghan nationals would not be permitted new placements, transfers or migrations in medical and dental institutions during the current academic session.
The PMDC has warned medical colleges that violations of its directives could result in regulatory action under the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council Act, 2022.
The development has sparked a debate over the impact of immigration and regulatory policies on foreign students already pursuing professional education in Pakistan. Qaiser’s intervention adds political pressure on authorities to reconsider the policy and protect the academic continuity of students currently enrolled in medical programs.
