Pakistan Processes Afghan Student Visa Extensions
Pakistan says it is processing Afghan student visa extensions under existing rules while warning that foreigners without valid documents face deportation.
Pakistan's Foreign Office stated on September 9, 2026, that it continues to process Afghan student visa extension applications under existing policy. Simultaneously, it warned that any foreign national without a valid visa and passport is liable for deportation under the Illegal Foreigner Repatriation Plan (IFRP).
Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan described the approach as a continuing review. "Our relevant institutions continue to process visa extension applications of Afghan students in Pakistan in line with our existing policy, rules and regulations," Khan said. He added, "As per the Illegal Foreigner Repatriation Plan (IFRP), stay of any foreign national without valid visa and passport is illegal and the concerned individual is liable to deportation."
The statement creates two parallel tracks: extension applications can proceed, while individuals overstaying their visas risk removal.
Court Case Seeks Relief for 87 Students
The visa situation has reached the Islamabad High Court. A group of 87 Afghan students is seeking relief regarding one-year visas issued in 2023. Their extension requests were argued before the court on August 29, 2026.
Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro advised the students' counsel to pursue diplomatic channels. "You should go to the Afghan embassy and your case will be heard there. The Afghan embassy will contact the Pakistani embassy," the judge said. Another account of the hearing reported that the judge questioned the petition's legal basis and remarked, "we are at war with Afghanistan." The students have asked the court for protection from arrest, detention, and deportation while their extension applications are pending.
Medical Council Bans New Afghan Admissions
A separate, sharper restriction targets Afghan medical and dental students. The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council issued a notice on September 1, 2026. The council ordered already enrolled Afghan students in these programs to return to Afghanistan. It also banned new Afghan admissions for the current academic year.
Educational institutions were instructed to complete exit formalities for the affected students. The notice applies specifically to Afghan students, not other nationalities, making it distinct from the broader repatriation policy. Kabul Police Command spokesman Khalid Zadran condemned this move, stating it was particularly harsh for students in their final year.
Policy Remains Case-by-Case
On September 9, the Foreign Office reiterated that applications are being processed case by case under existing rules. The phrasing offered no suggestion of automatic renewals. The pressure on Afghan students now flows through multiple channels: the courts, the overarching repatriation plan, and the specific bans in medical education. The situation remains in flux.
