LHC Issues Written Order on Pleas Against Expulsion of Afghan Medical Students
Mian Nadeem
Published September 11, 2026 | 10:36 PM
The Lahore High Court (LHC) has issued a written order on petitions challenging the expulsion of Afghan medical students from colleges. The court issued notices to the Federal government, Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), and other parties, while suspending the implementation of PMDC notices dated July 31 and September 1, 2026, until the next hearing.
Justice Khalid Ishaq issued the written order on petitions filed by Syed Mubeen Alvi and other Afghan students. The court ruled that no adverse action would be taken against the Afghan medical students by the PMDC or medical institutions until the next hearing.
The court ordered that:
- Afghan students be allowed to continue their education, sit for examinations, and participate in clinical studies, rotations, assignments, and all other academic activities.
- They be permitted to use hostel facilities without any hindrance.
The court directed Punjab’s Assistant Advocate General to provide copies of the order to the principals of all relevant medical institutions and ordered the institutions to ensure full compliance with the order.
Advocate Junaid Jabbar appeared on behalf of the petitioners. The petitioners had approached the Lahore High Court under Article 199 of the Constitution.
According to the written order, the PMDC had directed through letters dated July 31 and September 1, 2026, that the academic activities of Afghan students be discontinued and asked them to leave medical and dental programmes under a policy of being sent back from Pakistan.
The petitioners, currently studying in the second, third, fourth, and fifth years of MBBS programmes at medical colleges, had secured admission to the medical colleges on merit under the Afghan refugee quota.
The students’ counsel argued that depriving them of education at this stage would cause irreparable harm to their lives and careers. Lawyers for the Federal government and the PMDC objected to the maintainability of the petitions, arguing that Afghan citizens could not be allowed to continue academic activities without valid student visas. According to the lawyers, the PMDC decision was part of the Federal government’s overall policy, and judicial intervention under Article 199 was not possible in a policy decision concerning foreign affairs. The Federal government and PMDC lawyers sought one week to place the relevant material on record.
The court observed that Article 4 of the Constitution grants the right to protection of law not only to Pakistani citizens but to every individual within its territory.
