Pakistan Orders Afghanistani Refugees Under German Program to Leave Islamabad

DID Press: Pakistan has ordered Afghanistani refugees covered by Germany’s protection and resettlement programs to abandon Islamabad. The order applies both to those who have already received approval to move to Germany and those still awaiting interviews and visas.

Earlier, Pakistani authorities detained around 450 Afghanistani refugees in guesthouses in the capital as part of preparations for their transfer to Germany. Following diplomatic talks with Berlin, the deportation of 245 of them was suspended. Those affected are now temporarily housed in guesthouses financed by Germany in Kabul and Jalalabad.

Most of the refugees are former employees of German organizations in Afghanistan and their families, who were identified as vulnerable after the Taliban seized power in 2021. While some have been relocated to Peshawar, more than 2,000 others remain in Pakistan waiting to be transferred to Germany.

Pakistan’s Interior Ministry had previously warned that thousands of Afghanistani refugees who had applied for resettlement in Western countries could face expulsion if they were not relocated by the end of April.

The relocation process led by Germany faced delays due to logistical challenges and security concerns. Human rights groups in Europe urged Berlin to speed up the relocation process. Analysts say Pakistan’s move reflects Islamabad’s tougher stance on the prolonged presence of Afghanistani refugees, warning that further delays could deepen the humanitarian crisis and strain German-Pakistani relations.