Pakistan ties stay of some Afghan students to valid visas and enrolment
Pakistan has said that not all Afghan students will be expelled from the country, but their continued stay will depend on having a valid visa and formal enrolment in educational institutions.
Sajjad Haider Khan, spokesperson for Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a press briefing on Thursday that Afghan students enrolled in recognised academic programmes and in possession of valid visas can remain in Pakistan and complete their studies.
He added that students who are not enrolled in a university or do not hold a valid visa must return to Afghanistan. According to him, to continue studying outside the country, both valid enrolment and a valid residence visa are necessary.
The remarks come as Pakistan’s Medical and Dental Council recently decided to expel Afghan students in medical fields from the country and instructed universities to refrain from enrolling new Afghan students.
Pakistan’s Medical and Dental Council is the regulatory body overseeing medical and dental education and affairs in the country, and its decisions can have a direct impact on the continued education of foreign students, including Afghan students.
