(By Shaheen Shah)
The ongoing closure of the Torkham Gate between Pakistan and Afghanistan has left hundreds of Pakistani medical students studying in Afghanistan in deep distress. Many of them fear that if the border remains closed, their academic year—and potentially their entire future—could be at risk.
A large number of Pakistani students are enrolled in medical universities across Afghanistan, particularly in Jalalabad, Kabul, and Kandahar. However, due to the border closure, they are unable to attend classes or sit for their examinations. Most of the affected students had returned to Pakistan during their vacation and are now stranded, unable to rejoin their institutions.
Parents of these students have expressed grave concern and reached out to the Pakhtun Students Federation (PSF), explaining that they have already spent hundreds of thousands of rupees on their children’s education. They fear that all their investment and efforts may go to waste if the situation persists.
The PSF has appealed to Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to issue special travel permits for students, enabling them to continue their studies without further interruption.
The closure of the Torkham border has not only disrupted trade but has also negatively affected education, healthcare, and social connections between the two neighboring countries. Both governments are being urged to take humanitarian steps to ease travel restrictions for students and safeguard the future of the younger generation.
