Thousands of Pakistani Students Stranded in Afghanistan Demand Immediate Return

Mia Iftikhar Hussain, the provincial leader of Pakistan’s Awami National Party (ANP), stated that between 2,500 and 3,000 students from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province are currently stranded in Afghanistan due to closed routes and cannot return home. According to him, the academic year for these students has ended, and they are currently on break; however, the closure of land routes between Afghanistan and Pakistan has forced them to endure harsh and cold conditions day and night. These students had traveled from various parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Afghanistan primarily to pursue medical studies. The sealed borders, coupled with their financial inability to afford air travel, have blocked their way back. Despite the concerns of families and repeated appeals, the Taliban administration has yet to issue a clear official stance on the matter, increasing criticism over its neglect of the humanitarian situation faced by the stranded students.