Germany has authorised a team of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) representatives to temporarily enter the country to help coordinate the deportation of Afghan nationals, the German government said Monday.

A German Foreign Ministry spokesman told a press conference in Berlin that the government had approved the short-term entry of a “technical support team” with the aim of increasing the number of deportations to Afghanistan.

“It is in our interest that Afghan representations are able to provide consular services for the roughly 450,000 Afghan nationals in Germany and contribute in particular to return operations,” the spokesman said.

He said the representatives had undergone security checks, were not accredited as diplomats in Germany and would leave the country after a short stay.

Germany has tightened its migration policies under conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz following years of accepting large numbers of refugees and asylum seekers. The government has said deportations to Afghanistan would primarily target convicted criminals.

However, Germany deported 23 Afghan men to Afghanistan last week, including some who had not been convicted of a crime, according to reports.

Human rights organisations have strongly criticised deportations to Afghanistan, citing concerns over the human rights situation and alleged abuses under the IEA.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for the acceleration of the planned Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan railway, saying the project could significantly strengthen connectivity between Central and South Asia and provide Uzbekistan with access to Pakistan’s seaports.

Sharif made the remarks during a meeting with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek.

The two leaders agreed to accelerate the implementation of agreements covering trade, investment and regional connectivity, while reaffirming their target of increasing bilateral trade between Pakistan and Uzbekistan to $2 billion by 2029.

The proposed railway, known as the Trans-Afghan Railway, would run through Afghanistan, connecting Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries with Pakistan and international markets through the country’s seaports.

Sharif said the project could transform regional connectivity and facilitate Uzbekistan’s access to global markets through Pakistan’s ports.

Pakistan and Uzbekistan have made regional connectivity a key element of their strategic partnership, with the railway viewed as an important project for expanding trade, investment and economic cooperation.

The project would require continued coordination between Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. If completed, the railway could strengthen Afghanistan’s position as a major transit route between Central and South Asia and provide the country with new opportunities for transit revenues and regional trade.

The Trans-Afghan Railway has been under discussion for several years as a proposed 760-kilometre rail link from Termez in Uzbekistan through Afghanistan to Pakistan’s railway network. The project is intended to provide Central Asian states with a shorter route to the Arabian Sea and international markets, while opening new trade and transit opportunities for Afghanistan.

Islamic Emirate spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says Afghanistan’s participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit is in the interest of the region, stressing that key regional issues are discussed at the gathering.

Speaking to Ariana News, Mujahid said Afghanistan is an important part of the region in terms of economic, security, political and social issues, and that this reality should be recognized by SCO member states.

He said the SCO summit should not be influenced by certain political considerations or become a one-sided gathering.

Mujahid said some countries at times seek to prevent Afghanistan from participating in the summit. However, he warned that decisions made at the regional level would be incomplete if Afghanistan is excluded.

“Afghanistan must be present at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit,” Mujahid said, emphasizing that the country’s participation is important for addressing regional issues and ensuring that responsibilities toward the region are clearly defined.