The Peshawar High Court in Pakistan has temporarily barred the arrest or deportation of 17 Afghan doctors working at two private hospitals in the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Pakistani media reported on Thursday, September 24, that the court allowed the doctors to continue their specialized training in the city until the outcome of their visa extension applications is determined.
According to the report, a bench of judges at the Peshawar High Court issued notices to Pakistan’s federal government and the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), seeking their response to the petition filed by the 17 trainee doctors.
The trainee doctors are undergoing specialized medical training at two private hospitals, Peshawar General Hospital and Northwest Hospital and Research Centre.
They asked the court to declare the directive issued by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council unlawful and without legal validity.
They also asked the court to order officials at the two hospitals to lift their suspension and immediately allow them to resume their specialized training programs.
According to the report, the petitioners had approached the relevant authorities to extend or renew their visas and submitted their passports, previous visas, CPSP documents, hospital training certificates, and other required documents. However, despite completing the necessary procedures, the doctors’ visa extension applications have remained pending for an unreasonable period.
