Punjab Police Detain Afghan Doctor and Medical Students Over Visa Issues

The Punjab police in Pakistan have recently detained an Afghan doctor along with at least ten medical students, citing the expiration of their residency visas as the reason for their arrest.

Unprecedented Arrests of Medical Professionals in Punjab

A new and concerning wave of detentions targeting Afghan nationals and migrants in Pakistan has emerged, particularly affecting medical professionals and students. Reports indicate that law enforcement in Punjab has undertaken a coordinated operation, resulting in the arrest of an Afghan doctor and at least ten higher education students who were engaged in specialized training at local teaching hospitals and universities.

Details of Student Arrests from University and Hospital

According to detailed reports, ten of the detained individuals were in the midst of their specialized and practical coursework at the renowned Quaid-e-Azam University of Medical Sciences and Bahawalpur Teaching Hospital, where they were apprehended by security personnel right at their places of education and work. Simultaneously, Dr. Noorullah, a well-experienced Afghan doctor providing medical services at Sahiwal Teaching Hospital in southeastern Punjab, was also arrested by police.

Silence from Islamabad Officials and Visa Expiration Hypothesis

Despite the extensive media coverage surrounding this incident, official representatives and diplomatic entities in Pakistan have yet to offer any explanations or official statements regarding the underlying reasons for these arrests. Nevertheless, sources close to the detained students have confirmed that the primary motivation behind the police action was the expiration of their residency visas. These chain arrests come amidst an escalating trend in recent months of forced deportations, legal prosecutions, and crackdowns on Afghan refugees and nationals across various Pakistani cities, which have drawn significant criticism from human rights organizations.