BERLIN: Germany has come under scrutiny after reports emerged that it is offering cash payments to Afghan refugees stranded in Pakistan in exchange for giving up their spots in a resettlement programme that would have brought them to Germany. Human rights groups and refugee advocates have condemned the move, calling it a betrayal of promises made to vulnerable Afghans who had previously been cleared for relocation.
The affected refugees were part of a humanitarian scheme initiated by Germany’s previous government to assist Afghans who had worked with German forces or were considered at particular risk under Taliban rule—such as journalists, lawyers, and human rights activists. However, around 2,000 Afghans have been stuck in Pakistan since May, when newly appointed conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz froze the resettlement programme.
According to the advocacy group Airbridge Kabul, refugees received letters from German authorities offering cash and support if they agreed to withdraw from the programme. In one case, a single woman was reportedly offered €1,500 (around $1,700) while in Pakistan, followed by an additional €5,000 payment if she chose to travel to Afghanistan or another country instead of resettling in Germany.
A spokeswoman for Germany’s interior ministry confirmed that “there are offers within the framework of a voluntary return programme to Afghanistan or departure to another third country.” She did not provide further details on how many refugees had received the offer or whether any had accepted it.
Activists have criticised the policy as both morally questionable and unsafe, given the deteriorating human rights situation in Afghanistan. Eva Beyer, a representative of Airbridge Kabul, said she had not heard of any refugees willing to accept the offer. “Many have reacted with shock and outrage,” she said, sharing a message from one refugee that read, “I’ve been trembling all over and can’t stop crying. I don’t want money or bread, I just want to live in safety.”
Meanwhile, Pakistan has intensified its crackdown on undocumented Afghans, with thousands facing detention or deportation. For many refugees awaiting transfer to Germany, this new German policy feels like a final blow to their hopes of resettlement and safety.
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