Germany Resumes Afghan Refugee Relocation After Legal Battles

In a significant development, the German government has announced that it will lift the ban on the entry of vulnerable Afghan nationals it had previously pledged to admit. This decision comes after months of legal pressure at home and a deportation push by Pakistan.

Around 2,000 Afghans who were approved for relocation to Germany under a program for those deemed at risk under Taliban rule have been stranded in neighboring Pakistan for several months. The German government had initially frozen the scheme amid a pledge to curb migration.

However, the situation has now changed. The various verification procedures are currently resuming, and personnel from the competent authorities are on the ground in Pakistan to continue the admission process. This decision follows several lawsuits by groups and dozens of affected Afghans challenging the freeze.

The German interior ministry, which had initially put the program on hold and was blocking its resumption, has now stated that Afghans for whom Germany has been legally obliged by binding court decisions to issue visas and allow entry will gradually be admitted to the country. Only those with binding admission approvals will be allowed in after security checks, though the exact numbers are still unclear.

The sense of urgency has increased as Pakistan moves to expel Afghan refugees ahead of a September 1 deadline, including those in Germany's relocation program. Lawyers representing the affected Afghans have expressed relief, stating that the families with court rulings will be flying out of Pakistan soon, though the details have not yet been disclosed.