News Desk
Quetta: The provincial secretariat of the Pashtunkhwa National Awami Party (PKNAP) has strongly condemned the recent decision to reduce medical seats for students from Central Pashtunkhwa, former FATA, and the Pashtun-Baloch region of Balochistan, calling it a discriminatory move that threatens the educational future of thousands of students from underdeveloped areas.
In a press release issued in Quetta, the party expressed deep concern, disappointment, and strong protest over the reduction in medical college admission quotas. The statement described the decision as an anti-education policy that unfairly targets students from historically marginalized regions. According to the party, the move will negatively impact the academic future of talented students and further widen the educational gap in remote and underprivileged areas of Pakistan.
The party stated that the late Senator Usman Khan Kakar had played a key role in securing these seats. Through his persistent political struggle and advocacy, the seats were approved to ensure that students from deprived regions could gain access to higher medical education in Pakistan. However, subsequent governments gradually reduced the allocated seats instead of maintaining or expanding them.
Recently, a delegation of affected students met Khushal Khan Kakar, Chairman of PKNAP and Member of the National Assembly, in Islamabad. The students briefed him on the seriousness of the issue and requested that he raise the matter with the relevant authorities. Khushal Khan Kakar assured the delegation that he would take up the issue at all relevant forums, including the National Assembly of Pakistan, and advocate for the restoration of students’ educational rights.
The statement recalled that in 2018, due to the personal efforts of Senator Usman Khan Kakar, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) and other relevant institutions allocated 333 medical seats for students from Central Pashtunkhwa, former FATA, and Balochistan. At that time, authorities also promised that within five years the number of seats would be increased to 666, ensuring equal opportunities in medical education for students from these underserved regions.
However, instead of fulfilling that commitment, the government reportedly reduced the number of seats from 333 to only 121, a decision the party described as a serious injustice toward students from these regions. The reduction has created frustration, anxiety, and a sense of deprivation among youth in the affected areas.
According to the press release, students from Central Pashtunkhwa, former FATA, and Balochistan already face major challenges including limited educational institutions, shortage of qualified teachers, economic hardships, and lack of modern academic facilities. Reducing medical college seats under such conditions further restricts their chances of pursuing medical careers and higher education opportunities.
PKNAP reiterated that it has consistently raised its voice on every democratic, constitutional, and political platform to protect the educational rights of students from these regions. The party emphasized that education is a fundamental right of every citizen, and students from disadvantaged areas must not be deprived of equal educational opportunities.
The party warned the federal government and relevant authorities that if the medical seats are not immediately restored and increased to 666 as previously promised, it reserves the right to launch democratic protests and public demonstrations. The issue will also be raised in parliament, courts, and other legal forums to ensure justice for affected students.
In conclusion, PKNAP urged the federal government and concerned institutions to restore the medical seats quota, expand opportunities for students from Pashtunkhwa, former FATA, and Balochistan, and ensure equal access to medical education in Pakistan so that youth from these regions can contribute to the country’s development and prosperity.
