PHC Decision Brings Significant Relief for Foreign Medical Graduates

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has struck down a controversial Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) notification that effectively rendered their degrees worthless within the country.

A two-member bench, comprising Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Faheem Wali, issued the ruling on Thursday, declaring that the September 8, 2025 notification which delisted several universities, particularly those in Afghanistan was unsustainable in law. The court has restored the recognition status of degrees obtained from the affected institutions, provided they were earned during the period when those universities were on the PMDC’s approved list.

Restoration of Degree Recognition

The ruling brings an end to months of uncertainty for hundreds of Pakistani students who had pursued medical education in neighboring Afghanistan, only to return home and find themselves barred from entering the medical profession. The court directed that these graduates shall now be treated as eligible candidates for the National Registration Examination (NRE) , the mandatory licensing test required to obtain provisional registration (PRMP) and practice medicine in Pakistan.

The PMDC has been ordered to process the applications of affected graduates without further delay, ensuring that no artificial barriers are placed in their way. Legal experts believe the judgment will have far-reaching implications, potentially setting a precedent for similar cases involving medical degrees from other non-traditional destinations.

Petition Arguments

The petitioners were represented by Advocate Fawadur Rehman, who argued forcefully that the students had completed their medical education at a time when the Afghan universities in question were fully affiliated with the PMDC and their degrees were explicitly recognized by the council.

“These students acted in good faith. They enrolled in universities that were on the PMDC’s approved list at the time of their admission and throughout their studies. To retroactively delist these institutions and punish the graduates for a regulatory change they had no control over is a gross violation of their fundamental rights,” Advocate Rehman submitted before the court.

He further argued that the September 2025 notification had effectively created a retrospective disqualification, which is not permitted under Pakistani administrative law.

The Controversial PMDC Notification

The crisis began on September 8, 2025, when the PMDC issued a notification removing several foreign universities most notably those in Afghanistan from its list of recognized medical institutions. The reasons cited by the council included concerns over quality of education, lack of proper accreditation mechanisms, and evolving geopolitical challenges in the region.

However, what sparked immediate outrage among the affected graduates was the notification’s failure to include a “grandfather clause” for students already enrolled or graduated prior to the delisting. As a result, hundreds of doctors who had already completed their degrees found themselves unable to register for the NRE, effectively ending their medical careers in Pakistan before they could even begin.

Implications for the Healthcare System

The PHC ruling is being hailed as a victory for natural justice and regulatory fairness. Medical associations and student bodies have welcomed the decision, noting that the affected graduates are uniquely positioned to serve in Pakistan’s underprivileged and remote areas, where doctor-to-patient ratios remain critically low.

“Many of these graduates have already completed rigorous clinical training and are ready to serve. Barring them would have been a loss not just for them, but for the entire healthcare system,” said a representative of the Young Doctors Association.

What Happens Next?

Following the PHC ruling, the PMDC is expected to issue a revised notification clarifying the reinstated recognition status of the Afghan universities for the relevant time period. Affected graduates are advised to prepare for the upcoming NRE cycle, as the court has made it clear that no further administrative delays should be tolerated.

Legal observers note that while the PMDC retains the right to appeal the decision before the Supreme Court, the detailed nature of the PHC judgment which heavily emphasized principles of legitimate expectation and non-retroactivity makes an appeal unlikely to succeed.

For now, hundreds of foreign medical graduates who had lost hope can once again look forward to taking the Hippocratic Oath and serving patients across Pakistan.