Pakistan Threatens to Deport Afghans Amidst Tension
A group of around 2400 Afghans, having been granted admission to Germany, find themselves stranded in Pakistan, facing potential deportation back to Afghanistan under Taliban rule. Lawyers are now taking legal action in Berlin in an attempt to secure their entry and prevent deportation.
A Homosexual Man's Struggle
Among those affected is a man named Hosseini (pseudonym). According to his complaint, the Taliban had threatened him and his family due to his homosexuality. He received a positive decision from Germany's Federal Office for Migration and Refugees in February 2024, and after a security interview, he also received a visa. Hosseini now lives in a dormitory in Islamabad with only a small allowance, his savings long depleted.
The new German government halted all admission programs after coming into power in May, leaving Hosseini and over 2400 other Afghans in limbo.
Legal Challenge
A group of lawyers has initiated 25 legal proceedings before the Berlin Administrative Court, aiming to secure the entry of some Afghans still in Pakistan. However, the legal process can be lengthy, leaving it uncertain whether the decision will come in time for Hosseini and the other affected individuals.
Previously, the Higher Administrative Court of Berlin ruled that Afghan local staff who worked for Germany could not sue the country for entry visas, indicating a legal hurdle for Afghans attempting to claim entry rights through litigation in German courts. The court has not ruled on any specific challenges to the suspension of admissions for Afghans.
Suspension and Screening Procedures
Germany instituted enhanced security screenings for Afghan applicants at its embassy in Islamabad, involving lengthy interviews with intrusive questions about unrelated geopolitical issues. This has led to numerous approvals for resettlement being abruptly withdrawn without clear explanations. Critics argue that these interviews reflect a political shift aimed at limiting Afghan resettlement.
Currently, there are restrictions on Afghan applicants contesting visa denials beyond certain limits within Germany's asylum procedures.
Regional Deportation Challenges
The prolonged wait and high rejection rates in Pakistan reflect broader deportation and asylum challenges facing Afghans in the region, exacerbated by Germany's tightened security screenings and suspension of many admissions. While no direct mention is made of deportations from Pakistan to Afghanistan in the German context, Iran, a neighboring region, has ordered over 4 million undocumented Afghan migrants to leave by July 2025.
In summary, legal attempts by Afghans to challenge visa denials in Germany have been limited by court rulings in Berlin, and the German government has imposed stringent and controversial screening processes in Pakistan, leading to many resettlement approvals being revoked. This, combined with regional deportation pressures, creates significant uncertainty and hardship for Afghan asylum seekers and local staff attempting to enter or remain in Germany.
The community policy and employment policy of Germany are under scrutiny as lawyers in Berlin strive to overturn the suspension of admission programs for over 2400 Afghan refugees, with one homosexual man, Hosseini, being one of the affected individuals. These legal battles in the realm of politics and general-news revolve around the prolonged wait, high rejection rates, and stringent security screenings faced by Afghan asylum seekers, which have left many in limbo, bracing for potential deportation.
