Senior political leader Mian Iftikhar Hussain has raised a critical alarm regarding the plight of thousands of Pakistani students currently trapped in neighboring Afghanistan. The provincial president of the Awami National Party (ANP) in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa disclosed that these young citizens are facing severe hardships because the border crossings between the two countries remain closed.
Students Stuck Despite End of Academic Session
In a detailed press statement, Mian Iftikhar Hussain explained the core of the crisis. He stated that approximately 2,500 to 3,000 Pakistani students have completed their academic session in Afghanistan. Although their holidays have officially begun, they find themselves unable to return home. The continued shutdown of border crossings has emerged as the single biggest obstacle preventing their safe journey back to Pakistan.
ANP's Urgent Appeal to Government Authorities
The ANP leader made a passionate appeal to the authorities, urging them to set aside political differences and rigid stances. He warned that such inflexibility is causing direct harm, not just to these students, but also to bilateral trade and employment opportunities. Hussain demanded that both the federal and provincial governments take immediate, concrete steps to resolve this humanitarian issue.
He presented a clear two-pronged solution: prioritize reopening the land routes for their return. If that is not feasible due to ongoing issues, the government must without delay arrange special flights to repatriate the stranded students. He emphasized that the mental anguish being suffered by the parents of these students is immense and growing by the day.
Formal Requests Yield No Practical Results
Mian Iftikhar Hussain revealed that this is not the first time the issue has been brought to the government's attention. He noted that the party's central president, Senator Aimal Wali Khan, had already submitted a formal request to Pakistani authorities and the Prime Minister's Office through the party's central spokesperson, Ehsanullah Khan.
Furthermore, ANP Member of the Provincial Assembly, Nisar Baz, has repeatedly raised the urgent matter on the floor of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa assembly. Despite these high-level appeals and official communications, Hussain lamented that no practical progress has been made so far to bring the students home.
The ANP leader stressed that ensuring the safety and well-being of Pakistani citizens abroad is a fundamental responsibility of the state. He called for urgent action to address the concerns of the distressed families and to facilitate the students' return without any further delay.
