More than 1,000 Afghans who were promised entry to Germany following the Islamic Emirate’s return to power in Kabul will be refused permission to resettle, according to a report by Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung on Tuesday.

Citing figures from a parliamentary inquiry, the report stated that nearly half of the 2,308 Afghans awaiting decisions on their applications are now set to be denied entry. Many have been stranded in Pakistan for months or even years, hoping to leave under a German resettlement programme.

Shortly after taking office in May, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative-led coalition moved to suspend resettlement schemes for vulnerable Afghans as part of a broader crackdown on migration. The situation became more urgent after Pakistan announced plans to deport Afghan nationals, including those who had already received approval for German resettlement.

Despite the policy shift, around 788 Afghans have managed to resettle in Germany since May, many after successfully challenging the government in court. Another 410 are still in the process of leaving the country.

Richard Lindsay, the United Kingdom’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, has held meetings in Islamabad with Afghan Ambassador Ahmad Shakeeb and Pakistan’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq, to discuss regional security issues.

Lindsay said on X that in his meeting with the Afghan envoy, they also discussed the impact of the policies of the Islamic Emirate on women and girls.

Pakistan’s envoy Mohammad Sadiq noted that his talks with Lindsay focused on the regional security situation, “particularly the urgent challenge posed by cross-border terrorist attacks.”

“We also exchanged views on the latest regional security developments and broader security challenges,” he said. “We emphasized the importance of continued cooperation and coordination to address shared concerns and promote regional stability.”

Tension between Afghanistan and Pakistan have escalated over security issues. Trade between the two neighbors remains suspended since October last year.

Abdul Hakim Sharei, the Minister of Justice of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, has stressed that public office and responsibility within the Islamic system must be regarded as a means of serving the people, not as a tool for personal gain or commercial interests.

The minister made the remarks on Tuesday during a meeting of the Ministry of Justice’s Leadership Council.

Addressing the gathering, Sharei said that piety is the most essential quality of an official in an Islamic system, noting that a pious individual works with sincerity and contentment, seeking only the pleasure of Almighty Allah and the welfare of the people rather than material privileges or benefits.

He further urged employees of the Ministry of Justice to perform their duties with honesty, integrity, and a strong sense of trust, to protect public funds, and to work collectively toward strengthening the Islamic system.

Sharei also emphasized that his objective in leading the Ministry of Justice and the Commission for the Prevention of Land Usurpation is solely to strengthen the system and ensure the implementation of Islamic Sharia—principles for which, he said, many sacrifices have been made over the years.