Thousands of Pakistani students have been left stranded in Afghanistan following the closure of border crossings, prompting urgent calls for government action to facilitate their safe return home.
According to the Pakistani Students Association in Afghanistan, around 3,500 Pakistani students are currently enrolled at universities in Kabul, Jalalabad and other Afghan cities. The association said a significant number of them are medical students, highlighting the scale of those affected by the border shutdown.
Students say the closures have created severe hardships, particularly as academic sessions have ended and winter conditions have worsened.
Awais-ur-Rehman, a second-year student at Ariana University in Kabul, told Nukta that students are struggling to cope with multiple challenges. He said annual examinations have concluded, and many students want to return to Pakistan for vacations but are unable to do so because of the border closure.
“On top of that, heavy snowfall and expired hostel contracts are forcing us to find alternative accommodation,” Rehman said, describing the situation as increasingly difficult.
Rehman added that universities have remained shut for nearly three months due to examinations and heavy snowfall, further compounding the problems faced by Pakistani students.
Another student, Syed Shahab Uddin, said most of those stranded belong to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and lack the financial means to arrange expensive travel.
He said traveling by road costs around PKR 8,000, while flights from Kabul to Islamabad can cost as much as PKR 70,000. The amount does not include additional transport expenses to reach Kabul airport or onward travel from Islamabad to students’ hometowns.
“These costs are beyond what many students can afford,” Shahab said.
Amanullah, president of the Pakistani Students Association in Afghanistan, said it has been more than 10 days since exams ended, yet students remain unable to leave due to the closed borders.
He said the Afghan Taliban government has addressed issues such as expired visas but claimed that Islamabad has so far not responded to repeated appeals.
“While the Afghan side has shown cooperation, the Pakistani government has remained unresponsive,” Amanullah told Nukta.
He called on Pakistan’s federal and provincial governments to take immediate steps to bring the students home. “The border should be opened for Pakistani students, or a special flight should be arranged to bring us back safely,” he said.
Pakistan's efforts
The issue has also reached the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, which passed a resolution highlighting the difficulties faced by Pakistani students in Afghanistan.
The resolution said a large number of students are experiencing severe hardships, including limited access to food, housing, transportation and medical care. It also noted that many students are separated from their families and living in uncertainty.
Lawmakers urged Pakistani authorities to take emergency measures to ensure the safe and swift return of all affected students.
What does Kabul say?
Afghan authorities have said the problem does not lie on their side.
Speaking to Nukta, Mullah Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, said air travel remains open for students. “The air route is open, and students can travel via Ariana Afghan Airlines and Kam Air. We will facilitate them,” he said.
Fitrat added that Ariana Afghan Airlines has reduced ticket prices to 140 USD to make travel more affordable. “Students have not faced any issue, and if they encounter any problems, they can report to the relevant authorities,” he said.
Matter under consideration in Pakistan
Officials in Pakistan say the matter is under consideration.
Shafi Jan, special assistant to the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on information, told Nukta that the provincial government is reviewing various options and has completed the necessary paperwork.
“A final decision will be announced soon,” he said. “Their safe return is our responsibility, and we are committed to ensuring it.”
A member of Pakistan’s federal cabinet, speaking to Nukta on condition of anonymity, said the issue has been taken up with the prime minister and relevant ministers.
He said multiple options are being considered and a final decision is expected soon to ensure the safe return of all Pakistani students.
Sources said the Foreign Office is also engaged and is maintaining close liaison on the issue, which they said is likely to be resolved shortly.
Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalated after a series of explosions in Kabul on Oct. 9. Taliban forces subsequently launched attacks along Pakistan’s border regions.
Islamabad responded with cross-border shelling, resulting in casualties and infrastructure damage on both sides, before closing the border crossings on Oct. 12.
Since then, Pakistan and the Taliban government have held several rounds of talks in Qatar and Turkey, but the negotiations have so far failed to produce a breakthrough.
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