As the new academic year begins at universities across Pakistan, hundreds of students from Afghanistan, many of whom were accepted under new scholarship programs or had returned home for summer holidays, remain stranded due to Pakistan’s suspension of student visa issuance. These students, expressing deep concern, say that the prolonged delay has not only jeopardized their educational opportunities but has also undermined confidence in Pakistan’s scholarship process. They question, “What is the point of granting scholarships if visas are not issued to the recipients?” According to the students, this situation damages Pakistan’s credibility and intentions toward foreign students.
Afghanistan students residing in Pakistan who had returned home for summer break now face serious uncertainty about continuing their studies due to the suspension of visa processing. They report that because student visas are not being issued, they have been unable to return to their classes in Pakistan. According to them, the issuance of student visas falls under the authority of Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior, but for reasons still unclear, this process was halted about four months ago, and no explanation has been provided since.
Hayat (pseudonym), another student, said: “We came to Afghanistan for the holidays, but now that we want to return, they are not issuing visas. Every time we try to contact the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan, responsible for the scholarships, we are met with indifference and receive no response. At present, more than 200 of us are still without visas, and we are under pressure from our universities; we may be expelled.”
He added, “A few days ago, some of my friends, frustrated by the long delay, tried to enter Pakistan illegally. However, one of them was shot by border police on the other side and returned to Afghanistan injured. If this situation continues and visas are not issued, we will all be forced to cross the border illegally and even risk death, because we have lost all hope.”
Hayat emphasized that more than a month has passed since classes resumed, yet it remains unclear when they will be able to rejoin their studies. He warned that if the situation persists and they cannot return in time, they could be removed from the university system and lose their chance to sit for exams.
Meanwhile, several doctoral and master’s students accepted under the Allama Muhammad Iqbal Scholarship program said that they applied for student visas at Pakistan’s Embassy in Kabul more than 50 days ago, but their visas have not yet been issued. They noted that classes have already started at Pakistani universities, and the ongoing delay may cost them their academic opportunities. These students have urged Pakistan’s Embassy in Kabul and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to expedite the visa process to ensure their education is not disrupted.
Omid (pseudonym), a doctoral student under a Pakistani scholarship, stated that he has been waiting for over 50 days for his visa, yet it has not been issued. He said that nearly a month has passed since classes began, but their situation remains uncertain. Students fear that continued delays will result in their exclusion from their academic programs.
Kamaluddin (pseudonym) said: “I was accepted for a PhD under the Allama Iqbal Scholarship program, but I applied for a student visa a month ago and have yet to receive any update. There are about 24 of us PhD students still waiting for visas, and another 40 master’s students are also in the same situation, with no response so far.”
Both newly admitted students and those who had already been studying in Pakistan before returning to Afghanistan for summer break are calling on the Pakistani government to resolve the issue as soon as possible. They argue that when a country refuses to issue visas to students already enrolled in its universities, it should not claim to offer scholarships.
These students remain stranded in Afghanistan even as Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, announced that Islamabad has extended the registration deadline for the “Allama Muhammad Iqbal Scholarship” (Phase Three) for Afghan students. He said the decision was made in response to the recent nationwide internet outage in Afghanistan to allow more time for student registration.
Earlier, in July 2025, Pakistan’s government suspended the visa renewal process for Afghan refugees. Following this move, many refugees applied for student visas in an effort to avoid forced deportation. However, that process was also halted, leaving thousands of citizens of Afghanistan in Pakistan at risk of expulsion as their residency permits expire. So far, the Pakistani government has offered no response to these refugees and has instead intensified the detention and forced deportation of Afghanistan nationals.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
صدور بورسیه بدون ویزا؛ بلاتکلیفی طولانی دانشجویان افغانستان زیر سایه بیتوجهی پاکستان
