Afghans Arrive in Germany as Berlin Weighs Charter Flights

Nabila Lalee/Anne-Beatrice Clasmann/dpa

Berlin: A group of Afghan nationals approved for resettlement in Germany arrived on Thursday, marking the sixth cohort to leave Pakistan since the new German government took office in May.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative-led coalition had suspended the previous administration’s programme for particularly vulnerable Afghans shortly after assuming power, as part of a broader clampdown on migration. However, several Afghans successfully challenged the suspension in court, securing the right to travel.

According to officials, a total of 52 Afghan citizens were expected to land in Germany on Thursday, arriving at airports in Berlin and Hannover. The Berlin-bound flight touched down around midday, dpa learnt.

An estimated 1,900 Afghans remain stranded in Islamabad—many for months or even years—waiting to depart under the German resettlement scheme. With Pakistan preparing to deport Afghan nationals from next year, including those already approved for German resettlement, pressure is mounting on Berlin to accelerate evacuation efforts.

Read More: https://thepenpk.com/mursal-qaisari-the-afghan-girl-who-refused-to-stop-learning/

Officials are now considering chartering flights, a method used by the previous government, though no dates have yet been set.

The suspended programme had covered former local staff of German entities, their families, and other at-risk groups such as lawyers and journalists facing persecution under the Taliban. Despite the halt, some applicants are still being granted visas after winning legal challenges in German courts.

In a recent move, the German government offered financial compensation to Afghans in the federal resettlement pipeline if they chose to withdraw from the programme. The Interior Ministry said on Wednesday that only around 10% of those contacted—62 people—had accepted the offer.

Several recipients criticised the proposal, saying it was painful to be asked to effectively “sell” their safety, stressing their years of service and cooperation with Germany.