The German government reported that Pakistani authorities deported 211 Afghans in recent days who were listed in Germany’s resettlement program for particularly at-risk Afghans. A spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry in Berlin said Pakistani authorities had previously detained around 450 people from the program with the aim of deportation, and that the German embassy in Islamabad and the Foreign Ministry had, through contacts with Pakistani authorities, secured the release of 245 detainees from deportation centers over the past weekend. Berlin arranged accommodation for those deported with the help of a service provider and is currently working through talks with Pakistani authorities to enable the 211 deported individuals to return again to Pakistan. Overall, more than 2,000 Afghans in various resettlement programs are awaiting travel to Germany; their screening is conducted in neighboring Pakistan because the German embassy in Kabul has been closed since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021.

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said last week that each case is examined individually to determine whether there is a legal obligation to provide resettlement, and security checks are carried out in every case. A spokesperson for the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees said staff from the office are present in Pakistan to perform these necessary checks. Pakistani authorities have also temporarily detained in recent months a number of Afghans who had received a commitment to be resettled in Germany, drawing criticism over the lengthy resettlement procedures.