The German government has decided to accommodate 535 Afghan citizens on humanitarian grounds by the end of this year. This was announced by the country’s Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt in an exclusive interview with the media group "Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland" (RND).
Lives at risk: Who are they?
This concerns individuals who fled to neighboring Pakistan to save their lives following the power shift in Afghanistan in August 2021. The list includes the following groups:
- Local staff who worked closely with the German Bundeswehr and other German state organizations;
- Representatives of international non-governmental and cultural organizations;
- Human rights defenders and activist women who advocated for women’s rights.
Since these individuals have lived under persecution and threats of death in their homeland, Germany has taken on the responsibility of providing them asylum.
Time is critical: Pakistan’s firm demand
The German government is required to complete this process “as quickly as possible.” This is because Pakistani authorities have demanded that Afghans who are to be relocated to Germany must leave by the end of December. Otherwise, Islamabad has threatened to forcibly deport them back to Afghanistan—to the hands of the “Taliban.”
Currently, there are approximately 1,800 Afghans in Pakistan waiting for evacuation. Many of them already possess the necessary documentation to enter Germany, but the political situation has slowed the process.
New government and the issue of restrictions
It should be noted that the new federal government led by Friedrich Merz has agreed to significantly reduce humanitarian programs for accepting individuals from third countries. In some cases, Afghan activists have received final rejections on the grounds of “lacking political interest.”
Public appeal: Over 250 prominent organizations in Germany have sent an open letter to the government, urging decisive action on this life-and-death matter. “Every day counts. If these people are sent back, they face certain death,” the statement by organizations such as Amnesty International and Pro Asyl emphasized.
Germany’s decision to accept these 535 individuals serves as a beacon of hope for thousands of others.
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