HEC’s new passport requirement leaves thousands of returning Afghan students in limbo
PESHAWAR:
Returning Afghan students face serious difficulties in having their diplomas verified by the Higher Education Commission (HEC).
The students claim that before the government’s decision regarding the repatriation of Afghan refugees, they were taking admission in Pakistani universities using Proof of Registration (PoR) and Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) documents. However, these same documents are now rejected for degree verification.
According to the students concerned, when they contact HEC for verification, they are told that diplomas based on PoR and ACC cards are no longer attested. Verification is now only possible with a passport.
The students explained that they had completed their studies from various colleges and universities of Pakistan, including the University of Peshawar, based on PoR and ACC cards. Admissions were granted, exams held and diplomas issued by HEC were issued, but these 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 diplomas of these students are rendered unusable in Afghanistan and other countries.
Most of the affected students do not have Afghan passports as they have spent their entire educational life in Pakistan under PoR and ACC cards. The new passport requirement has limited their opportunities for further education, employment and future prospects.
The students urged HEC and the Government of Pakistan to review this policy and allow their degrees to be verified based on the same documents on which they were admitted and awarded, thereby ensuring that thousands of educated young Afghans do not find themselves facing an uncertain future.
