Pakistan issues new directives for Afghan medical students, doctors

Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Office has issued new directives concerning Afghan medical students and doctors in the country, making continued studies conditional on valid visas and compliance with immigration requirements, reports Afghan broadcaster Ariana News.

Under the directives, Afghan undergraduate medical students enrolled in Pakistani medical colleges and universities through government-sponsored or approved programmes, including Higher Education Commission (HEC) scholarships and the Allama Muhammad Iqbal Scholarship, may continue their studies if they meet the required legal conditions and obtain clearance from Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior.

Medical colleges and universities have been instructed to register eligible Afghan medical students with the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) by 15 October 2026, and submit their registration status to the relevant authorities.

The directives also state that unregistered Afghan students, those who have completed MBBS or BDS degrees, and students studying without fulfilling the required legal formalities must return to Afghanistan by 10 October 2026. The document further specifies that house-job placements will not be offered to graduates covered by these provisions.

Afghan students who were not granted admission before 1 September 2026, have also been instructed to leave Pakistan by 10 October. According to the directives, further admissions for Afghan students to medical and non-medical colleges and universities will remain subject to Pakistan’s government policy until further notice.

Meanwhile, Afghan doctors undertaking postgraduate medical training, including FCPS, MCPS, MD and MS programmes, as well as those employed in Pakistan or engaged in private medical practice, have been directed to leave the country by 10 October 2026.

The new measures could affect the education and professional careers of Afghan medical students and doctors currently living in Pakistan, particularly those whose visas, registrations or other legal requirements remain incomplete.