Over 250 human rights organisations and NGOs have renewed calls on the German government to urgently bring hundreds of Afghans stranded in Pakistan to safety. The appeal, made on Tuesday, comes as the Afghan refugees — previously promised sanctuary by Berlin — remain in limbo amid bureaucratic delays.
Groups including Amnesty International, Save the Children, Human Rights Watch, and various church organisations urged Germany to evacuate approximately 1,800 Afghans before the end of the year to prevent potential deportations back to Afghanistan. Many of those stranded are women and children, according to the organisations.
“These individuals were promised protection by Germany, and it is imperative they are brought to safety without further delay,” the NGOs wrote in an open letter to the German government. “Especially now, during the Christmas season, we remember humanity and compassion.”
Background on the Refugee Scheme
The affected Afghans were accepted under a refugee programme established by Germany’s previous government. However, since conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz assumed office in May, the scheme has largely stalled, leaving many refugees unable to leave Pakistan. Only around 350 people from the programme have managed to reach Germany after winning legal challenges in German courts.
Those awaiting relocation include Afghans who worked with German armed forces in Afghanistan, as well as journalists and human rights activists, making their timely evacuation a matter of pressing humanitarian concern.
Germany has reportedly received assurances from the Pakistani government that the Afghans under the programme will not be deported before the end of the year. However, officials stress that this temporary deadline cannot be extended indefinitely.
UNHCR Data on Afghan Refugees in Pakistan
New data released by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) shows that over 2.18 million Afghans are currently living in Pakistan. Of these, only 1.22 million are registered, with roughly 35 percent residing in official refugee villages.
The data also highlights that more than 1.09 million registered Afghan refugees hold Proof of Registration (PoR) cards. These numbers do not include 138,701 unregistered members of registered families. Meanwhile, the total number of asylum seekers registered with the UNHCR stands at 115,652, of which 115,390 are Afghans. The remaining asylum seekers come from countries including Yemen, Iran, Somalia, Myanmar, and Syria.
“The statistics of registered asylum seekers have been revised following a verification exercise,” the UNHCR noted, underscoring the ongoing efforts to maintain accurate records of vulnerable populations in Pakistan.
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