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Germany weighs fate of Afghans in Pakistan as deportations intensify
The German government is reviewing whether Afghans stranded in Pakistan while awaiting resettlement in Germany will indeed be allowed to go there, its interior minister said on Thursday, as Islamabad intensifies deportations of Afghans.
Pakistan has begun to deport documented Afghan refugees ahead of its September 1 deadline for them to leave, according to the United Nations, a step that could see more than 1 million Afghans expelled from the country.
Among them are more than 2,000 Afghans awaiting visas to travel to Germany under an admission programme designed to evacuate people considered to be at risk under Islamic Emirate rule in Pakistan’s neighbour Afghanistan.
A source familiar with the matter said detentions of Afghans for deportation over the border have continued, even during Pakistan’s Independence Day holiday on Thursday, Reuters reported.
“People with German admission approval are being brought to the Torkham border (between Pakistan and Afghanistan) as we speak,” the source told Reuters.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt confirmed that some Afghans in Germany’s resettlement scheme “have recently drawn the attention of Pakistani authorities”, and Berlin was in discussions with Islamabad over their status.
“We are reviewing whether these people can actually leave for Germany. Whether this actually happens depends on the outcome of the review process,” Dobrindt told journalists.
Germany’s admission programme for at-risk Afghans – launched in October 2022 by the centre-left government in office at the time – is now under review following February’s migration-focused election won by conservatives.
The new centre-right coalition intends to close the scheme, which had already been suspended pending an ongoing review.
Since May 2021, Germany has admitted about 36,500 Afghans seen as vulnerable, but the conservative-led government says humanitarian migration now exceeds the country’s integration capacity.
On Wednesday, Germany’s foreign ministry said it was in close contact with Pakistani authorities and using established emergency mechanisms to prevent deportations of Afghans.
The interior ministry said it could not provide a timeline to determine the future of the admission programme but expects decisions soon. It did not say whether the increase in deportations from Pakistan would hasten a decision.
Pakistan on Friday summoned Afghan Deputy Head of Mission in Islamabad to convey “strong demarche” over a deadly attack on a military camp in North Waziristan District that killed four Pakistani soldiers.
In a statement, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the attack was carried out by a faction of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The statement said that Pakistan conveyed “grave concern over the continued support and facilitation” provided by the Islamic Emirate to TTP.
Pakistan has demanded “a full investigation and decisive action against the perpetrators and facilitators of the terrorist attacks launched against Pakistan from Afghan soil.”
It urged the Islamic Emirate “to take immediate, concrete and verifiable measures against all terror groups operating from its territory, including their leadership, and deny the continued use of Afghan soil for terrorism against Pakistan.
According to the statement, the Islamic Emirate has been “categorically informed that Pakistan reserves the right to defend its sovereignty and protect its citizens, and will take all necessary measures to respond to terrorism originating from Afghan soil.”
Pakistani officials have repeatedly claimed that attacks in the country are originated from Afghan soil, a charge the Islamic Emirate denies.
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has underscored Afghanistan’s continued importance in regional cooperation, saying the country remains one of the key areas of interaction among regional partners.
Addressing the first summit of the “Central Asia Plus Japan” dialogue, Mirziyoyev said participating countries share a common aspiration to see Afghanistan become peaceful, stable, and oriented toward meaningful development.
The Uzbek president praised Japan’s longstanding and consistent support for Afghanistan, noting that Tokyo has for many years been among the leading donors and partners assisting the Afghan people.
He expressed confidence that coordinated efforts and joint contributions by regional countries and Japan would help improve living standards in Afghanistan, advance socio-economic and infrastructure development, and facilitate the country’s active involvement in regional economic projects.
The Embassy of Japan in Afghanistan announced on Friday that the country has allocated $19.5 million in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.
In a statement, the Japanese Embassy said it hopes the aid will help bring positive change to the lives of vulnerable Afghans.
According to the statement, the assistance will cover the basic humanitarian needs of vulnerable communities in Afghanistan.
The embassy added that the aid will be delivered through United Nations agencies, international organizations, and Japanese non-governmental organizations operating in Afghanistan.
Japan’s total assistance to Afghanistan since August 2021 has reached more than $549 million.
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