The Afghan Embassy in Islamabad on Tuesday expressed concern over the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council’s decision to expel Afghan students studying medicine in Pakistan.

The embassy said the decision could have serious consequences for the education and future of students who have legally pursued their studies and are now close to completing their programs after years of effort.

The Afghan embassy called on Pakistani educational institutions and relevant international organizations to protect the educational rights of Afghan students and allow them to complete their studies without interruption.

The embassy also stressed that education, science and human relations should be kept separate from political disputes and that educational and academic opportunities should not be affected by political developments and disagreements.

Amnesty International has condemned the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council’s decision requiring Afghan medical students in Pakistan to return to Afghanistan, calling it discriminatory and arbitrary.

The organization said the decision would have particularly severe consequences for female Afghan students, many of whom have already been denied access to higher education in Afghanistan under the Islamic Emirate’s restrictions on women and girls.

Amnesty said many students have spent years studying medicine and now face the prospect of having their education abruptly disrupted, with limited opportunities to continue their studies elsewhere.

The organization urged Pakistani authorities to uphold the right to education without discrimination based on national origin and adopt a humane and practical solution that would allow Afghan students, including women and girls, to complete their education.

The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council has cancelled the registration of Afghan students at public and private medical universities in the country and has moved to deport them immediately from Pakistan.

Afghanistan’s Supreme Court said Tuesday that 797,678 cases have been handled across the country over the past five years.

The court said case documents, evidence and other relevant information were reviewed, with consideration given to the rights of both parties, Islamic principles and the need for fair decisions.

During the same period, the court also processed 723,530 Sharia-compliant documents, including marriage certificates, title deeds and marital-status certificates.

The Supreme Court said it also granted amnesty to 16,468 prisoners and reduced the sentences of 11,159 others over the past five years.

It said it would continue efforts to strengthen the judicial system, protect people’s rights, prevent injustice and provide transparent and fair judicial services.