More than two thousand Afghan refugees stranded in Pakistan, despite holding official admission letters from Germany, now face arrest, detention, and forced deportation. Civil society activists and human rights defenders have sounded the alarm, urging the German government to act swiftly before, in their words, “tomorrow may be too late.”
According to refugee accounts, Pakistani police have raided residential compounds in Islamabad, arresting dozens of Afghans and transferring them to the “Haji Camp” deportation facility. Some have already been forcibly sent back to Afghanistan, where they face severe risks under Taliban rule.
In an open letter addressed to Germany’s Chancellor, Foreign Minister, Interior Minister, and its Embassy in Islamabad, Afghan activists, members of protest movements, and human rights defenders expressed grave concern over the plight of refugees stranded in Pakistan for more than a year.
The letter states:
“We, a collective of protest movement activists, civil society members, and human rights defenders, express our deep concern over the condition of more than two thousand Afghan citizens. Although they hold official admission letters from the Federal Republic of Germany, they have been waiting in temporary accommodations in Islamabad, Pakistan, for more than a year for their relocation and resettlement in Germany.”
The signatories demanded urgent measures:
- Cooperation with Pakistani authorities to address the situation of detainees and those already deported;
- Immediate steps to prevent further deportations and ensure safety;
- Acceleration of the relocation process from Islamabad to Germany;
- Provision of security and psychosocial support until their final transfer.
In addition to the letter, Afghan activists released video appeals in German addressed directly to the German government.
Shirin Gul, one of the women awaiting relocation, stated:
“Act today; tomorrow there may be no one left to save.”
Azizgul, a women’s rights activist, warned:
“Pakistani police have sent many people to deportation camps. If you remain silent now, it means you are endorsing their deaths.”
Darya added:
“This is your last chance to prevent a human catastrophe. Tomorrow may be too late.”
The Afghanistan Human Rights Watch (AHRW) also sent a formal letter to Germany’s Foreign Ministry, urging Berlin to use its diplomatic influence to press Pakistan to halt arrests and deportations of vulnerable Afghans—particularly women, journalists, and human rights defenders—and to expedite relocation procedures.
In response, Germany’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that it is engaged in high-level discussions with the Pakistani government, both through its embassy in Islamabad and in Berlin, to clarify the situation of Afghans with official admission promises.
Despite this, human rights groups in Germany have filed legal complaints against German ministers, accusing them of “failing to protect Afghans with valid resettlement approvals” amid ongoing deportations from Pakistan.
