Germany Suspends Afghan Refugee Resettlement for Afghans in Pakistan

Germany Suspends Afghan Refugee Resettlement for Afghans in Pakistan
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Germany has officially halted its planned resettlement of hundreds of Afghan refugees who were awaiting relocation from Pakistan, leaving many in legal limbo and uncertainty about their future.

According to Germany’s Interior Ministry, Afghan nationals in Pakistan who had been expecting relocation under existing programmes will be notified that “there is no longer any political interest in their admission to Germany.” This reversal affects around 640 Afghan refugees who had received formal assurances of relocation, including women’s rights activists, lawyers, journalists, and others considered at risk under Taliban rule.

The decision comes as Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government moves to scale back resettlement schemes and tighten migration policies. German officials have described earlier commitments as legacy obligations rather than ongoing policy priorities, a shift that reflects broader political debates in Berlin over immigration.

Many of those affected remain in Pakistan while authorities in Islamabad have accelerated enforcement of immigration laws, including restrictions and deportations of Afghan refugees whose residence documentation has expired.

Human rights groups have criticised Germany’s reversal, arguing it undermines the credibility of its asylum commitments and leaves vulnerable refugees exposed to heightened risks, particularly as Pakistan continues to tighten residency rules.