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The German government announced yesterday that it will accept 535 Afghan refugees who have been waiting in Pakistan after being promised asylum in Germany. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt told the RND media network that Berlin aims to complete the processing of these cases by December to facilitate their entry into Germany.
These individuals were part of a refugee program established by the previous German administration but have remained stranded in Pakistan ever since Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who took office in May, froze the initiative. The refugees include those who worked with German forces in Afghanistan during the fight against the Taliban, as well as those considered at high risk under Taliban rule after their return to power in 2021—such as journalists, rights activists, and their families.
Pakistan had set a year-end deadline for resolving these cases, threatening to deport the refugees back to Afghanistan once the deadline passed. Dobrindt stated that conversations are ongoing with Pakistani authorities, and some cases may need further work into the new year.
Last week, Germany’s interior ministry informed 650 individuals in the program that they would not be admitted, citing a shift in the government’s interests. The government offered financial incentives to those remaining in Pakistan willing to relinquish their claims to migrate to Germany, but only 62 accepted this offer as of mid-November.
Earlier this month, more than 250 organizations, including Amnesty International, Save the Children, and Human Rights Watch, highlighted that roughly 1,800 Afghan refugees from the program remain in limbo in Pakistan and urged the German government to allow them in.
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