Students from FATA and Balochistan Demand Restoration of 333 Reserved Medical Seats

Islamabad: Students from the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Balochistan have called on the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to restore the previously allocated 333 seats reserved for them in medical colleges, warning that the recent reduction has severely restricted their access to higher medical education.
Addressing a press conference at the National Press Club Islamabad, student representatives including Shaukatullah, Hizbullah Wazir, Asad, Allah Yar and Rahatullah said that instead of increasing the number of seats for students from underdeveloped regions, the authorities have significantly reduced them, creating serious concerns among aspiring medical students.
They pointed out that tribal districts (former FATA) still lack a medical college, leaving students largely dependent on the quota seats allocated by the HEC in various medical institutions across the country. According to them, these seats provide the only viable pathway for many students from FATA and Balochistan to pursue medical education.
The students explained that the HEC had been allocating 333 seats annually in medical colleges for students from these regions. However, this year the number has been reduced to only 121 seats. Of these, Khyber Medical University (KMU) has announced 113 seats, while Azad Jammu and Kashmir has allocated only 8 seats.
They further noted that last year KMU had provided 149 seats, while Azad Jammu and Kashmir had allocated 8 seats. Similarly, Sindh had offered 68 seats last year but has not announced any seats so far this year. Balochistan had allocated 24 seats previously but has yet to announce any seats this year.
The students also alleged that Punjab, which traditionally allocates 76 seats through the University of Health Sciences (UHS), has not followed the HEC policy in its seat distribution and has overlooked merit criteria, leading to dissatisfaction among students.
They recalled that in 2018 a formal policy framework was introduced to double the quota for students from these underserved regions. However, they said the policy has yet to be implemented in practice.
The students urged the HEC and relevant authorities to immediately restore the 333 reserved seats, stressing that students from FATA and Balochistan must be given fair access to medical education so they can pursue their academic goals and serve the country as skilled professionals.