SWABI: Afghan students of dif ferent private and public sector educational institutions here have said that it is their utmost desire to stay in Pakistan till completion of their education.

Talking to this scribe here on Friday, they said that the Pakistan government`s policy allowing them to get education here was a welcome move. In January, federal secretary Ministry of States and Frontier Regions Mohammad Shehzad Arbab had said that the deadline announced for the repatriation of refugees would not affect the education of Afghan students. He had also said that they could continue their studies beyond Dec 2017.

Answering a question, the students said that they wanted to continue their studies in Pakistan because they were fully familiar with the education environment here. They said that they were getting free textbooks in the public sector schools like local students,while there was lack of education facilities in their motherland.

They said that they didn`t want to be sent to Afghanistan because the continued war there would be a grave threat to their lives and education. The refugee students said that their main objective was to acquire quality education which could be fulfilled in Pakistan.

Bilal Khan, who would appear in the 10th grade examinations under the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Educadon, Mardan, said that he wanted to complete his BS in English from a Pakistani university. `I am interested in the teaching profession and would like to teach in my country after completion of my education,` he said.

Azmat Shah, another Afghan student, said that he wanted to become a doctor, but that might not be possible if he returned home.

Momin Khan, a sixth grade student, said that return to Afghanistan would mean the end of educadon for them.