KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Germany is set to resume the transfer of vulnerable Afghans who had been promised resettlement but were left stranded in Pakistan, German media reports.
The WELT newspaper reported Tuesday that the process is expected to begin in the coming days, with Afghans approved for resettlement will be transferred on regular scheduled flights.
The decision ends a months-long pause that left over 2,000 vulnerable Afghans, including former local staff, women’s rights activists, and LGBTQ+ individuals, stuck in Pakistan.
Following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, Germany pledged to resettle Afghans who had supported German missions in Afghanistan or who faced persecution under the new regime. However, the program was effectively suspended after Chancellor Friedrich Merz took office, citing broader migration management priorities.
According to the report, Legal action played a crucial role in pushing Berlin to resume the program. Rights groups and refugees challenged the suspension, and some courts ruled in their favor. A Berlin court recently warned the country’s Foreign Ministry that it could face penalties if it did not issue visas for those with confirmed relocation promises.
The situation has become more urgent as Pakistan plans to step up the deportation of Afghans in September. Hundreds of Afghans enrolled in Germany’s resettlement program have reportedly been detained in recent weeks. German officials confirmed that interventions from Berlin helped release some of them, while more than 200 had already been deported.
