Afghan medical students studying in Pakistan have told reporters they were legally admitted to Pakistani universities and received funding to pursue medical degrees, but now face being expelled before they complete their courses. The students said the move would interrupt their studies and derail plans to qualify as doctors.
"We are not dolls to play with," one student told reporters, summing up the frustration and fear shared by many of those affected. They said they had relied on the legality of their admission and the availability of scholarship or sponsorship arrangements to devote themselves to intensive medical training.
Students described the prospect of being sent home mid‑degree as a threat to their professional futures and to the healthcare systems that will depend on their skills. Medical education requires uninterrupted clinical rotations and examinations; an abrupt return to Afghanistan, they said, would leave them unable to complete essential components of their training.
The students say they are seeking clarification and intervention from Pakistani academic authorities, diplomats and scholarship sponsors to allow them to finish their degrees. Their claims have not been independently verified by Pakistani officials or the institutions involved, and it was not clear whether any formal deportation or revocation of status has been announced.
Advocates and observers note that disruptions to the training of health professionals can have long‑term effects on manpower in both countries. The students’ case highlights broader questions about the legal protection of foreign students, the responsibilities of host institutions and governments toward scholarship recipients, and the potential consequences when such protections are perceived to break down.
Efforts to resolve the situation could include appeals through university administrations, legal review of admission and funding agreements, and diplomatic engagement. For now, the students and their families say they are anxiously awaiting a resolution that will let them complete their medical education.