DID Press: 135 Pakistani medical students who had remained stranded in Afghanistan for nearly nine months have returned to Pakistan through the Torkham border crossing following diplomatic efforts and coordination between Pakistan’s consulate in Jalalabad and the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior.
The students, mostly from Upper Dir and Lower Dir districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, crossed into Pakistan on Tuesday after months of uncertainty over their situation in Afghanistan.
Student representatives Idrees Khan and Fayyaz Yousafzai said during a press conference in Timergara that the return was made possible through negotiations led by Shafqatullah, Pakistan’s consul general in Jalalabad, along with cooperation from Taliban officials.
Earlier, on July 11, another group of 68 Pakistani medical students had also returned home.
Representatives of the students thanked officials from both countries, describing the development as a sign of effective coordination between Kabul and Islamabad. They added that more than 1,000 Pakistani students are currently studying at medical universities in Afghanistan, with many seeking permission to return home during academic breaks.