Security agencies tighten scrutiny of Kashmiri doctors trained in Pakistan, Bangladesh

Srinagar: With evidence increasingly confirming the involvement of educated professionals—particularly medical graduates—in “white-collar” terrorism, security agencies have intensified scrutiny of Kashmiri students who pursued MBBS degrees in Pakistan and Bangladesh over the last two decades.

According to senior officials, authorities have launched a renewed verification process focused on financial links, suspicious transactions and cross-border affiliations. “Since the early 2000s, hundreds of Kashmiri students travelled to Pakistan for medical studies.

In recent years, many more have opted for colleges in Bangladesh. Given the emerging pattern of radical networks, we are now reassessing the backgrounds of those who may have cultivated external contacts,” an officer said.

Between 2001 and 2010, several Kashmiri students enrolled in medical colleges at Rawalpindi, Abbottabad, Bahawalpur, Faisalabad and Peshawar. Some reportedly crossed the border during peak militancy, with a few even believed to have travelled through separatist networks or with the support of families linked to extremist groups.

Officials revealed that many students who sought education through Pakistan-based charitable organisations later established links with groups accused of financing terror activities. Funds were allegedly routed through hawala channels, often disguised as tuition fee support. Intelligence agencies have been tracking such patterns for years, sources added.

After returning to Kashmir, these graduates frequently faced challenges in securing recognition for their medical degrees or qualifying for mandatory Indian licensing exams. Investigators claim that a few individuals maintained associations with Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen members.

However, officials emphasised that the majority of these graduates entered lawful medical service, with some relocating abroad. Only a very small number displayed irregular financial behaviour or suspicious communication patterns, authorities clarified.

As scrutiny of Pakistan-trained doctors tightened, more Kashmiri students shifted towards Bangladesh in the last decade. Attractive fee structures and assured admissions have drawn students to medical colleges in Dhaka, Sylhet, Rajshahi and Chittagong.

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