Pakistani police detain Afghan students at Quaid-i-Azam Medical College in Punjab

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani police in Punjab province have detained a number of Afghan students from Quaid-i-Azam Medical College in Bahawalpur, both from their examination halls and dormitories, citing expired student visas. According to Sadiq Shariati, head of the Afghan Students Union in Islamabad, the students were arrested on Tuesday, February 24 (5 Hoot). After coordination with relevant authorities, the students were released, but they have been given a deadline to complete their exams by March 25. Shariati said approximately 60 Afghan male and female students are currently studying at the college, while across Pakistan, around 3,000 Afghan students study on scholarships and another 3,000 pay tuition fees independently. One Afghan student told Afghanistan Radio Azadi: “Earlier, we couldn’t feel safe even outside the university; now even inside, police come and detain students. We are asking for a fair and practical solution for Afghan students.” A female Afghan student added: “This incident has caused great concern, especially for female students, as their visas have expired and the Pakistani authorities have halted the processing of renewals.” The arrests come amid rising challenges for Afghan students in Pakistan, particularly after the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, when girls were barred from higher education beyond grade six and from attending universities. Many Afghan students, especially women, migrated to Pakistan to continue their studies. According to a recent report by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), more than 77,000 Afghan refugees returned from Pakistan to Afghanistan in January 2026.