Amnesty International has condemned the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council’s decision requiring Afghan medical students in Pakistan to return to Afghanistan, calling it discriminatory and arbitrary.

The organization said the decision would have particularly severe consequences for female Afghan students, many of whom have already been denied access to higher education in Afghanistan under the Islamic Emirate’s restrictions on women and girls.

Amnesty said many students have spent years studying medicine and now face the prospect of having their education abruptly disrupted, with limited opportunities to continue their studies elsewhere.

The organization urged Pakistani authorities to uphold the right to education without discrimination based on national origin and adopt a humane and practical solution that would allow Afghan students, including women and girls, to complete their education.

The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council has cancelled the registration of Afghan students at public and private medical universities in the country and has moved to deport them immediately from Pakistan.

Khalid Zadran, spokesman for the Kabul Police Command, has condemned Pakistan’s decision to order Afghan medical and dental students to return home, saying the move is particularly harsh because some are reportedly in their final year.

“The US and Iran are at war, yet Iranian students aren’t thrown out of American universities. Pakistan expelled Afghan medical students in their final year. That’s not strength, it’s petty, vindictive cruelty,” Zadran said.

His remarks came after the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) ordered Afghan students enrolled in medical and dental colleges across Pakistan to return to Afghanistan and barred institutions from admitting new Afghan students.

Under a directive issued on September 1, Afghan nationals already enrolled in medical or dental programs must return home. Institutions were instructed to complete administrative procedures, including issuing no-objection certificates and facilitating their departure.

The PMDC also barred new admissions, transfers, migrations and other forms of facilitation for Afghan nationals during the current academic session until further notice. It did not specify how many Afghan students are affected or whether exemptions would be granted to those close to graduation.

The decision comes amid deteriorating relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan and Islamabad’s wider campaign to repatriate Afghan nationals.

According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 2.6 million Afghans returned from Pakistan between September 2023 and July 31, 2026. Pakistan says the campaign is necessary for national security and immigration enforcement, while the UN and rights groups have raised concerns over forced returns.

Tensions have also increased over Pakistan’s allegations that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and other militant groups operate from Afghan territory. The Islamic Emirate has denied allowing Afghan soil to be used for attacks against Pakistan.

The PMDC order represents a significant expansion of restrictions on Afghans in Pakistan, extending beyond undocumented migrants to students already enrolled in professional degree programs.

Mansoor Ahmad Khan, Pakistan’s former ambassador to Afghanistan, has also called on the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) to reconsider its decision affecting Afghan students enrolled in medical colleges and universities, citing humanitarian considerations and the longstanding civilizational ties between the peoples of the two countries.

“I request @PMDC to reconsider its decision on Afghan students in medical colleges and universities on humanitarian grounds and civilizational relations between the peoples of the two countries,” Khan said.

He suggested that a more humane and practical approach would be to allow the students to complete their degrees and facilitate their return to Afghanistan after completing their education.

The United Nations says Afghanistan continues to face the consequences of more than four decades of conflict, political instability and natural disasters, leaving millions of people dependent on humanitarian assistance.

In a statement on Tuesday, September 8, the UN said Afghans continue to face widespread humanitarian needs following years of war, displacement and repeated natural disasters.

The organisation said Afghanistan remains one of the world’s most challenging humanitarian environments, with millions of people struggling to meet their basic needs.

Nearly 23 million Afghans are facing acute food insecurity, according to the UN, highlighting the scale of the country’s ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Afghanistan is also home to one of the world’s largest refugee populations, while the return of millions of Afghans from neighbouring countries has placed additional pressure on communities and limited resources.

The country remains highly vulnerable to earthquakes, floods, droughts and other climate-related disasters, which frequently destroy homes, infrastructure and livelihoods and deepen existing humanitarian needs.

The UN said it remains committed to supporting the Afghan people through humanitarian assistance and essential services, despite growing challenges facing aid operations.

It called on the international community to maintain support for Afghanistan and provide the resources needed to address urgent humanitarian needs and help vulnerable communities withstand future crises.

The UN stressed that sustained international assistance remains critical as Afghanistan seeks to recover from decades of conflict and build greater resilience to economic and natural shocks.