Afghans in Pakistan: Lawsuit against the federal government because of visa failure!

Afghans in Pakistan: Lawsuit against the federal government because of visa failure!

Thousands of Afghans who have been accepted to Germany are still stuck in Pakistan. 25 of them have filed a lawsuit with the Berlin Administrative Court to obtain a visa. This comes at a time when the Pakistani government is threatening deportations. As the taz According to reports, a group of 2,384 people in Pakistan alone are waiting to leave the country after receiving a confirmation. This also includes 20,000 former local workers who have been taken in by Germany since the Bundeswehr withdrew in 2021.

Of the 2,384 Afghans, around 80% are relatives, including many children. They live in “guesthouses” rented by GIZ, but are not allowed to leave them. In the last few months, no more Afghans have been flown to Germany, and the new federal government plans to review the promises made. In fact, the discussion about reassessing admission has already begun and could hit more people in waiting areas hard.

Legal uncertainties

The lawsuit, filed by lawyers, concerns Afghans from four different reception programs. Their goal is to oblige the federal government to issue the visas they need to travel to Germany. So far there have been only a few revocations of commitments, but the federal government has stated that all commitments will be reviewed. What is particularly worrying is that no further Afghans have been evacuated since March 2024. For many, this meant that their dreams and hopes for a life of safety now hang in the balance.

ZDF also reported that a family known as Saleh has been waiting to leave the country for over 16 months. The family came to Pakistan with an acceptance letter, but since then they have not received any information from the German embassy about the issuance of visas. The gynecologist Fahima Saleh expresses concern about the possible forced marriage of her daughters in Afghanistan and prepares daily for the upcoming trip to Germany with her children.

Fears and existential threats

Afghans' fears are real: many of them have been persecuted by the Taliban, and returning to Afghanistan poses enormous risks for them and their families, including torture and death. The organization “Kabul Airlift” emphasizes the psychological stress that people suffer and reports suicide attempts among those affected. Girls who have to stay in Afghanistan fear forced marriage if they have to return. The situation is extremely tense, especially since most of those waiting have been waiting to leave the country for more than a year.

The federal government's current policy is being heavily criticized within the coalition. Chancellery Minister Thorsten Frei announced that every case would be examined again. This creates uncertainty and doubts about the binding nature of the promises already made. For many in Pakistan, uncertainty about their future remains a constant companion as they hope for their legal claims to be heard.

So it remains to be seen what the government's next steps will be on this critical matter. The ongoing finding of Afghans in Pakistan raises questions that not only concern the fate of individuals, but also Germany's moral responsibility in dealing with refugees.

In summary, the situation for Afghans in Pakistan remains tense, and many hope that their complaints will be heard and that they will finally receive the security that was originally promised to them.