Lahore High Court Restrains Medical Colleges Across Punjab from Expelling Afghan Students and Canceling Exams
LAHORE: All the medical colleges in Punjab have been ordered by the Lahore High Court (LHC) to refrain from making any expulsion or canceling of academic exams from Afghan students.
Justice Khalid Ishaq, presiding over a number of more than 30 petitions filed by medical students of the affected areas, noted that students should be allowed to finish their studies before being pushed back.
Court questions the position of PMDC on visas.Court questions stance of PMDC on visas.
Council for Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) during the proceedings had said that the Afghan students had not obtained any educational visas and as such foreign nationals cannot reside in the country without educational visas as per international standards.
Justice Khalid Ishaq sharply questioned the admission of the council and wondered how education visas have been granted initially when the admissions have been made. The judge said that the PMDC had squandered four years of their lives and now it was sending them back, adding that the notification seemed to have been issued by the PMDC on arbitrary directions. Justice Khalid Ishaq, while the counsel cited state security, ruled out the claim saying, “This is no state security issue, no medical college shall expel any student nor cancel any papers.
Interim Order and Adjournment
The court has ruled that all pupils impacted be allowed to proceed with their coursework and examination unhindered. The bench then adjourned further proceedings on the petitions until next Friday.