BIG ACTION AGAINST ILLEGAL AFGHAN STUDENTS IN BAHAWALPUR

BAHAWALPUR - In a significant crackdown, Punjab Police have arrested more than 20 Afghan medical students from Quaid-e-Azam Medical College in Bahawalpur over allegations of spreading anti-Pakistan propaganda and violating visa regulations .

🚨🇵🇰 BIG ACTION AGAINST ILLEGAL AFGHAN STUDENTS

Punjab Police arrested 20+ Afghan students from Quaid-e-Azam Medical College, Bahawalpur involved in spreading anti-Pakistan propaganda and lacking valid visas.

Great job by the police. Zero tolerance for terrorism sympathizers. pic.twitter.com/snmw7yvKLG

- Zard si Gana (@ZardSi) September 9, 2026

The action comes amid heightened scrutiny of Afghan nationals across Pakistan, with authorities taking a firm stance against those involved in activities deemed hostile to the country. Police have maintained that the detained students were not targeted solely because of their nationality, but because of alleged violations of Pakistani law and their purported involvement in promoting an anti-Pakistan narrative .

Visa Violations and Legal Proceedings

Authorities have cited visa violations as a primary reason for the crackdown, with some of the detained students allegedly found to be staying in Pakistan on expired visas . Legal action has been ordered against the students over the alleged propaganda activities as well as the visa-related violations .

The crackdown is part of a broader national policy. The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has barred all medical and dental colleges from granting admission or placement to Afghan students for the current academic session, and students previously enrolled in such programmes are "required to return to Afghanistan" .

A Zero-Tolerance Policy

The arrests are taking place against the backdrop of Pakistan's "Illegal Foreigner Repatriation Plan," under which any foreign national without valid travel documents is liable for deportation . Over 1.15 million Afghan nationals were deported from Pakistan in 2025 alone .

A Foreign Office spokesperson confirmed that Afghan students without valid visas and passports are illegal and liable to deportation, though authorities are continuing to process visa extension applications from those with valid documents .