HEC’s new passport requirement leaves thousands of returning Afghan students in uncertainty
PESHAWAR:
Afghan students returning home face serious challenges in getting their educational qualifications verified by the Higher Education Commission (HEC).
The students say that before the government’s decision on repatriation of Afghan refugees, they were admitted to Pakistani universities using Proof of Registration (PoR) and Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) documents. However, these same documents are now rejected for title verification.
According to the affected students, when they approach HEC for verification, they are told that PoR and ACC card-based degrees are no longer certified. Verification is now only possible with a passport.
The students explained that they completed their education from various colleges and universities across Pakistan, including the University of Peshawar, based on PoR and ACC cards. Admissions were granted, examinations were conducted and degrees issued by HEC were awarded, but the same documents are now considered invalid.
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The situation has become more critical as the federal government encourages Afghan citizens to return to Afghanistan. Without HEC certification, the educational qualifications of these students become unusable in Afghanistan and other countries.
Most of the affected students do not possess Afghan passports because they have spent their entire educational life in Pakistan with PoR and ACC cards. The new passport requirement has limited their opportunities for higher education, employment and future prospects.
Students have urged HEC and the Pakistani government to review the policy and allow verification of degrees based on the same documents on which they were admitted and awarded degrees, ensuring that thousands of educated Afghan youth do not face an uncertain future.
