Afghanistan National Apprehended with Arrest Warrant in Pakistan
In a troubling turn of events, more than 200 Afghans who were awaiting resettlement in Germany have been deported by Pakistan back to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. This follows the arrest of around 450 Afghans previously accepted under Germany’s admission scheme by Pakistani police, with at least 211 confirmed deported.
The group in question had been offered refuge in Germany under a program established after the Taliban takeover in 2021 to assist Afghans at risk, including former collaborators with German institutions, journalists, and human rights activists. However, the program is currently suspended amid stricter immigration policies, leaving around 2,000 Afghans stranded in Pakistan awaiting visas.
The German government is urging Pakistan to allow those deported to return and is continuing talks to facilitate their return, but official support remains limited. Meanwhile, individual security screenings are ongoing.
The situation has prompted two German rights organizations, Pro Asyl and the Sponsorship Network for Local Staff, to file a criminal complaint against Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) and Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU), accusing them of neglect and failing to protect these Afghans who were promised visas. The groups argue that the German government had legal obligations to prevent the deportations and assist the individuals at risk.
The UNHCR and human rights officials have also condemned forced returns and advised Pakistan to halt deportations, citing the risk of persecution and violations of international protections for refugees.
The arrests and deportations have been taking place in recent days in Islamabad, Pakistan. Local police spokesman reported that 40 people have already been returned to Afghanistan, with more than 100 Afghans taken to a deportation center in Islamabad. The people at the deportation center will be taken to Peshawar within a few days.
The accusation is that the politicians have allowed the arrest and deportation of Afghans with resettlement approval. The federal government is in high-level contact with the Pakistani government to ensure the protection of these people and help those who were deported or arrested in the last few days. Interior Minister Johann Wadephul has promised swift help for the arrested and deported Afghans.
The screening process for these Afghans started after Afghanistan fell to the Taliban in August 2021. Criticisms have been raised that the resettlement process takes too long, leaving many Afghans in a precarious situation. In an inn, 42 Afghans were arrested on Friday.
The plight of these Afghans has been compounded by the fact that they were separated from their families during the arrests. One resident was separated from his wife and four children by the police.
This unfortunate situation has raised concerns about the safety of these individuals upon their return to Afghanistan amid Taliban human rights abuses. The Islamic Taliban have been in power in Afghanistan for four years.
As the situation continues to unfold, it is clear that the current status of Afghans awaiting resettlement in Germany from Pakistan is dire, with many deported against their will and others trapped in uncertain limbo due to halted visa admissions and increasing expulsions from Pakistan.
The current status of the Afghans awaiting resettlement in Germany from Pakistan is causing widespread concern, as policy and legislation surrounding their resettlement is uncertain, engaging the broader realm of politics. This uncertainty has led to a series of events, including the arrest and deportation of around 450 Afghans, which has since been condemned by the UNHCR and human rights officials as a violation of international protections for refugees. The general news coverage of this unfolding situation includes crime and justice aspects, as the arrests and deportations have prompted a criminal complaint against Germany's Interior Minister and Foreign Minister by two German rights organizations.
