Afghanistan degrees will no longer be recognised by Pakistani government or private institutions, according to sources, warning Pakistani students pursuing higher education in Taliban rule neigbours.
Sources said degrees obtained from educational institutions in Afghanistan would not be accepted as a qualification for employment in Pakistan. The Higher Education Commission (HEC) will also not verify or attest such degrees, according to the sources.
The development follows a decision by Pakistan’s medical regulator regarding graduates of medical and dental colleges in Afghanistan. The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC) announced that Pakistani nationals graduating from foreign medical institutions must meet the required recognition criteria to sit the National Registration Examination (NRE), which is mandatory for practising medicine in Pakistan.
According to a notification issued by the PM&DC, only Pakistani nationals graduating from foreign medical institutions recognised under the US-based Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) framework would be eligible to appear in the NRE.
The council noted that medical and dental institutions in Afghanistan are not listed under the ECFMG framework and therefore do not qualify for recognition by the PM&DC. Pakistani students enrolled in Afghan institutions were advised to make informed decisions about their education, with the council stating that no exemptions or relaxations would be granted.
PM&DC Registrar Rehan Naqvi said students should enrol only in medical colleges listed on the ECFMG website, adding that Afghanistan was not listed under the relevant framework.
The decision could affect a large number of Pakistani students studying in Afghanistan, particularly those from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Students have traditionally crossed the border for education because of lower tuition costs, geographical proximity and limited availability of seats in Pakistani medical colleges.
According to Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, around 1,300 Pakistani students are currently studying in Afghanistan in various academic disciplines.
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