Berlin – After a long freeze on admissions, Germany is finally lifting its ban on vulnerable Afghan nationals who were promised relocation. This confirmation came from a foreign ministry official on Tuesday.
The decision comes after numerous legal challenges and an urgent deportation deadline looming in Pakistan, offering some hope to nearly 2,000 Afghans stuck in a difficult situation.
Germany’s humanitarian program was meant to help Afghans at risk under Taliban rule, but it was put on hold as part of a broader effort to limit migration. This left many families stranded in Pakistan, even after they had received formal approval for admission.
A foreign ministry official mentioned that “the various verification procedures are currently resuming,” and added that German personnel are now in Pakistan to continue processing admissions.
Legal Pressures Prompt Policy Change
The decision to reverse the policy wasn’t made lightly; it came as a direct response to growing legal pressures. Aid groups and affected Afghans had filed multiple lawsuits against the suspension, questioning its legality.
The German interior ministry, which initially paused the program, recognized the legal requirements. An official from the ministry stated that Afghans who are “legally obligated by binding court decisions to issue visas and allow entry will gradually be admitted to Germany” after completing necessary security checks. However, it’s still unclear how many individuals will benefit from this first wave, and they will need exit permits from Pakistan.
Matthias Lehnert, the lawyer for some Afghans who successfully contested the suspension, shared the news with his clients, who were “overjoyed.” That said, Lehnert expressed some frustration about the government’s reluctance to act without court orders.
“These are all proceedings that were enforced through the courts,” he told Reuters, noting that the federal government is doing “the absolute minimum.” He criticized the ongoing inaction on other cases as “scandalous,” emphasizing that the courts had set a precedent that Afghans should rely on Germany’s earlier admission promises.
Urgent Situations Amidst Pakistan’s Policy
The urgency of the situation has increased due to Pakistan’s phased repatriation policy, which aims to deport undocumented Afghan refugees before a September 1 deadline. This affects those in Germany’s relocation program as well, putting them at serious risk of being sent back to Afghanistan if they aren’t admitted soon.
The legal victories won by Lehnert’s clients were based on this critical risk, with courts acknowledging that their deportation vulnerability needed addressing.
Pressure on Pakistan due to the Delay from Western Countries
The delay of the Western countries, including Germany, has disproportionately placed heavy humanitarian and financial burdens on Pakistan, which has already been hosting one of the biggest refugee populations in the world. Whereas certain countries have been deporting refugees more randomly, Pakistan has been doing it in a more systematic way; however, this has put a time constraint on the families that are affected by this.
Eva Beyer, an advocacy officer with the aid group Kabul Luftbruecke (Kabul Air Bridge), explained the long process that families are enduring. Others have been waiting quite a long time, months, even years, to get out of Pakistan, she told Reuters.
She added that although families with binding court orders are due to fly out soon, they will be traveling using commercial flights as opposed to chartered flights, which indicates the logistical and financial pressures at play.
Although a small success, this legal win is significant to the affected families, but it also sheds light on the greater problems experienced by those who flee in search of safety and the duties States have to live up to their humanitarian obligations in morally challenging times.
As the initial group of Afghans prepares to have a new life, the future is unclear for the rest of those waiting in limbo without a sure admission.
Also See : Humanitarian Duty or Political Interest? The Role of Pakistan and Germany in Afghan Resettlement
