Pakistan Orders Expulsion of Afghan Medical Students

Pakistan has issued a directive ordering all medical and dental institutions to expel their Afghan students and arrange for their return to Afghanistan. This move, implemented without warning, is the latest in a series of actions by Pakistani authorities to summarily deport Afghans from the country.

For Afghan women students, this expulsion effectively ends their medical careers. The Taliban regime in Afghanistan bans all women from universities and from medical training. Their forced return shuts the door on their futures as doctors or dentists.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, a nongovernmental organization, estimates that about 100 Afghan medical and dental students in Lahore alone are affected. This group includes between 20 and 40 women. Some students have already sought help from the commission, requesting safe shelter and legal assistance due to fears of imminent deportation.

Violation of International Rights Obligations

Pakistan is a party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. This treaty obligates the country to ensure access to higher education based on ability and without discrimination. The United Nations committee that monitors compliance has clarified that these protections extend to non-nationals, regardless of their immigration status. Removing enrolled students solely because they are Afghan violates these international protections.

Also, Pakistan is bound by the principle of nonrefoulement. This universal principle forbids the forcible return of people to a place where they face a well-documented risk of persecution, torture, or other serious harm. Human Rights Watch notes that hundreds of thousands of Afghans previously expelled from Pakistan were not properly screened for such risks. Consequently, there is no way to know how many feared Taliban persecution.

Specific Cases and a Broader Pattern

The directive has led to immediate action at institutions like Lahore’s King Edward Medical University. It directed 20 Afghan medical students to report within 24 hours to complete departure formalities. The affected group included four women and seven students in their final year of study. Alongside the expulsions, Pakistan's medical institutions have suspended all new admissions of Afghan nationals.

Human Rights Watch states this educational expulsion is part of a broader pattern. Pakistani authorities have previously conducted arbitrary arrests and forced returns of hundreds of thousands of Afghans, many of whom had lived in Pakistan for decades.

Calls for Remedial Action

Human Rights Watch calls on Pakistani authorities to take several specific steps to remedy the situation. They should withdraw the expulsion orders and restore the students' enrollment. The discriminatory ban on new admissions must be reversed. The government must ensure students can remain lawfully to complete their degrees.

Each student's protection needs require an individual assessment. Safe shelter should be provided for those who need it, with particular attention to women at greater risk of Taliban persecution. Letting these future doctors and dentists finish their education is key for their own futures and for the countless patients they may one day treat in Pakistan or, when safe, in Afghanistan.