LAHORE(National Times)- The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Wednesday condemned the decision to rusticate and repatriate Afghan students already enrolled in medical and dental colleges in Pakistan, warning that the move could turn an education policy into a humanitarian crisis.

The rights body said the decision, along with the reported bar on new admissions for Afghan students, had put the education, safety and future of young Afghans at immediate risk.

According to HRCP, around 100 Afghan medical and dental students in Lahore alone could be affected, including an estimated 20 to 40 women.

“Some students have now approached HRCP seeking not only legal and institutional support but also safe shelter,” the commission said. The HRCP urged the government to immediately uphold the principle of non-refoulement, under which individuals should not be returned to a country where they face a serious risk of persecution or other grave harm.

It said there were well-documented risks faced by Afghans returning to Afghanistan, with women particularly vulnerable to restrictions and rights violations. “No student should be forcibly returned without an individual assessment of the risks they face,” the commission said.

The rights body acknowledged Pakistan’s security concerns and strained relations with Afghanistan but said these could not justify collectively punishing students who were pursuing their education in Pakistan. It demanded that the repatriation orders be suspended immediately and that the enrolment of affected students be restored.

The HRCP also called for arrangements for the students requiring protection and shelter.