Afghan Refugee Students in Pakistan Face Uncertain Futures Amid Deportation Threats
As deportation deadlines loom, many Afghan refugee students in Pakistan find their education at risk. Recently, organizations such as the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) have asked affected students to fill out forms, assuring them that they may receive support or be granted exceptions to complete their studies. Yet uncertainty remains, leaving students anxious about their futures. Some are just months away from graduation, while others are close to finishing after years of hard work. They fear that if forced to leave abruptly, they will lose not only the chance to graduate but also the time, money, and effort invested in their education. Interviews reveal a mix of determination and despair—young men and women who once saw education as their pathway to stability and contribution now worry that doors may close before they can step through. Their stories highlight a broader humanitarian dilemma: balancing state policies with the aspirations of students caught between two countries.
Struggling to Learn Amid Uncertainty
Shabana Baseer, a DAFI Scholar and Information Technology student at the University of Education, Lahore, has built her academic journey through sheer perseverance and scholarships. A top performer since middle school, she once faced rejection from university admissions solely because of her Afghan refugee status—only gaining entry after the Vice Chancellor intervened. Today, she balances her studies with freelance design work and aspires to innovate in the tech world. But looming deportation threatens to undo years of effort. “Going back to Afghanistan is not safe for me as a woman,” she says. “Opportunities for girls are shrinking, and most cannot even attend university. Deportation would erase all my achievements and silence the struggles I’ve endured to build a future.” Shabana appeals for the chance to continue her education in Pakistan, where her skills and determination—not gender restrictions—can shape her destiny.
Perseverance Under Pressure
Khalid Hamdard, also a DAFI Scholar and seventh-semester Doctor of Physical Therapy student at the University of Haripur, has spent his life balancing the hardships of refugee status with the pursuit of education. Born in Gandaf Camp Village, he completed school in Afghanistan but could not afford university until 2022, when he finally secured admission with a Proof of Registration (PoR) card and a DAFI scholarship. Alongside his studies, Khalid has worked as a health technician and is now interning at Chaudhary Medical Center, determined to use his skills to serve underserved populations, especially Afghan refugees without access to healthcare. “After 45 years of refugee life, it is painful that our future is still unclear,” he says. “The uncertainty has caused stress and made it difficult to focus fully on my studies.”
A Generation Caught Between Two Homelands
Waqar Jabarkhel, a BBA (Hons) student at IMSciences, Peshawar, has lived his entire life in Pakistan, though he holds only a Proof of Residence card. “This has always been my only home,” he says. Now in his seventh semester, Waqar fears deportation could erase three years of hard work, forcing him to restart his degree in Afghanistan, where the medium of instruction is Dari and Pashto, not English. Born in Peshawar without a passport or visa, his legal identity has always been uncertain, yet his ambitions remain clear. He dreams of completing his degree and contributing to society through business and innovation. “For me, this is not just paperwork—it is my life and my future,” he pleads, urging authorities to exempt students from deportation or fast-track visas. His appeal reflects the hopes of many Afghan youth determined to turn hardship into a meaningful contribution.
Education as a Right, and an Opportunity for Friendship
Afghan refugee students in Pakistan have demonstrated determination, talent, and resilience, yet their education now hangs in the balance. Completing their studies is not merely a personal goal—it is a basic right to learn, to aspire, and to build a future, regardless of nationality. The Pakistani leadership is encouraged to reconsider the case of Afghan students enrolled in major universities and allow them to complete their education. These young people represent a generation of promise who, upon graduation, would make notable contributions to Pakistan and serve as the country’s goodwill ambassadors—consistent with the spirit of the Pakistani government’s own scholarship programs for Afghan students. This compassionate approach would also honor the hospitality of the Pakistani people over decades, further cementing people-to-people ties between Afghanistan and Pakistan and reinforcing a legacy of shared goodwill and mutual respect.
