Deportations from the Afghan resettlement program totaled 211 individuals, as per the government's latest announcement. - Official Announcement: 211 Afghan nationals removed from admission program by the government
In a recent development, Pakistan has forcibly expelled 211 Afghans who were accepted into Germany's resettlement program for particularly endangered individuals. This move comes ahead of a September 1 deadline, as Pakistani authorities intensified their expulsions of Afghan refugees.
The German Embassy in Islamabad, along with the Federal Foreign Office, managed to secure the release of 245 people from detention centers over the weekend. However, these releases are not linked to the security checks conducted by Bamf employees in Pakistan.
The Federal Ministry of the Interior has staff in Pakistan to carry out the necessary security checks for the resettlement program. Employees of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bamf) are also in Pakistan, ensuring each individual case undergoes thorough security checks.
The Afghans in question are former local staff or are considered particularly endangered. Accommodation has been organized in Afghanistan for the deportees with the help of a service provider.
The federal government is currently working with Pakistani authorities to facilitate the return of these individuals to Pakistan. However, it's important to note that the German government is not mentioned as being actively involved in the deportation of the 211 people.
The situation has sparked criticism and legal action from refugee advocacy groups. They accuse the German government of neglect and failure to protect Afghan asylum seekers, specifically the foreign and interior ministers, for not preventing the deportations despite knowing the risks involved.
More than 50 organizations, including Amnesty International and the German Bar Association, have urged the government to dramatically speed up security checks and immediately evacuate Afghans who were approved for resettlement before more deportations can take place. The German government is under increasing pressure to act swiftly to reduce visa delays and fulfill its commitments to protect law professionals, human rights defenders, journalists, and vulnerable minorities among the Afghans stranded in Pakistan.
Human rights groups emphasize that deportees face grave danger on return due to Taliban reprisals, including imprisonment and execution. The UNHCR maintains a policy of non-refoulement under current conditions, advising Pakistan to stop forced returns.
In the past, there has been criticism about the length of the admission procedures for the resettlement program. The specific resettlement program in question is not specified, but it is clear that it involves Afghans and potentially involves Germany.
This article does not mention the German Embassy being involved in the current situation in Pakistan.
- EC countries, particularly Germany, are under pressure to expedite the security checks and evacuate Afghans accepted into their resettlement program due to the imminent risks they face in war-and-conflicts environments, such as Taliban reprisals.
- Amidst the ongoing politics surrounding the resettlement of Afghans, human rights groups continue to speak out against the general-news events unfolding in Pakistan, emphasizing that vocational training and safety measures should be prioritized for these individuals to prevent further harm.
