Deportations have been carried out by the government, affecting 211 Afghans from an admission program.
In a developing humanitarian crisis, more than 2,000 Afghans are currently waiting to travel to Germany as part of various resettlement programs. These individuals, including former local staff and those deemed particularly vulnerable, are undergoing a screening process in Pakistan due to the closure of the German Embassy in Kabul.
However, the situation has taken a turn for the worse. Pakistan authorities have recently detained and deported Afghans from Germany's resettlement program. This action is part of a policy to expel documented Afghan refugees ahead of a September 1 deadline, aiming to reduce the large Afghan refugee population in Pakistan.
This has affected over 2,000 Afghans waiting for visas to travel to Germany under a special admission program for vulnerable individuals, including those who had worked with German forces or institutions and are at risk under Taliban rule.
Germany’s Interior Minister has confirmed that some Afghans involved in the German resettlement scheme have drawn attention from Pakistani authorities, leading to detentions and deportations back to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. The German government has paused the resettlement program pending review, further complicating the situation for these refugees.
Despite Germany’s efforts to negotiate with Pakistan to allow these people to continue their visa processes, Pakistan has deported hundreds of Afghans approved by Germany, and approximately 450 remain detained with more at risk of deportation.
Human rights organizations have accused German ministers of abandoning these vulnerable individuals by allowing Pakistan to carry out deportations, filing legal complaints over the government's handling of the crisis. The expulsions come amid tightening migration policies by Germany and intensifying deportations by Pakistan.
Notable among the deported are Afghans who had worked for the German military or the Ministry of Development, and also included journalists, judges, and human rights activists. SPD MP Hakan Demir has urged Germany to uphold its legal principles and honor its promise of protection and security towards these individuals.
In a positive development, the German Embassy in Islamabad and the Foreign Office secured the release of 245 of these people from detention centers over the weekend. Accommodation has been organized in Afghanistan for the deportees, with the help of a service provider.
The German government has assured that in each individual case, a legally binding obligation to accept would be checked, and a security check would be conducted. Employees of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bamf) are in Pakistan for the necessary checks.
Criticism has been levied in the past that the admission procedures were taking too long. However, the current crisis has highlighted the urgency of expediting these processes to ensure the safety of these vulnerable individuals.
This crisis underscores the complexities and challenges faced by refugees seeking asylum and the need for international cooperation to address these issues humanely and effectively.
- The revised resettlement program for vulnerable Afghans, including those who had worked with German forces or institutions, is currently on hold due to the increased number of detentions and deportations in Pakistan.
- The policy of expelling documented Afghan refugees by Pakistan authorities has sparked controversy, with human rights organizations accusing German ministers of abandoning these individuals and filing legal complaints over the government's handling of the crisis.
- Amidst the increasing war-and-conflicts and political instability in Afghanistan, migration to safe countries such as Germany is a general-news topic, with crime-and-justice issues raised due to the recent detentions and deportations of Afghans involved in the German resettlement scheme.
