135 Pakistani Students Repatriated from Afghanistan

News Desk
Peshawar: For nearly nine months, a group of Pakistani medical students studying in Afghanistan waited for the chance to return home. On Tuesday, 135 of them finally crossed the Torkham border and reunited with their families after a prolonged period of uncertainty.
The returning students, most of whom belong to Upper Dir and Lower Dir districts, were enrolled in medical colleges across Afghanistan. Their representatives said the students had been unable to travel back earlier due to difficulties in obtaining the required permissions.
Speaking at a press conference at the Timergara Press Club, student representatives Idrees Khan and Fayaz Yousafzai said the safe return was made possible through coordination between Pakistani and Afghan authorities.
They appreciated the role of Pakistan’s Consul General in Jalalabad, Shafqat Ullah, and Afghanistan’s Ministry of Interior for facilitating the necessary travel approvals that allowed the students to cross the border.
This was the second major phase of the students’ return. Earlier, 68 Pakistani medical students had returned through the Torkham border on July 11, 2026, with assistance from the Pakistani Consulate in Jalalabad and Afghan officials.
Student representatives said more than 1,000 Pakistani students are currently enrolled in medical colleges across Afghanistan. They added that many students wanted to return home during their vacation period after spending months away from their families.
The students expressed gratitude to the authorities involved, saying the coordinated efforts helped ensure a safe and organized return.
For many of the young medical students, the journey back home marked the end of a difficult chapter and brought relief after months of waiting away from their families.