Key Points
Germany evacuates 174 Afghans before Pakistan's March 31 deportation deadline
Includes 82 women and 74 minors fleeing Taliban threats
Over 36,000 at-risk Afghans resettled since 2021
Human Rights Watch condemns Pakistan's forced deportations
The aeroplane carrying 174 Afghan refugees from Islamabad landed at Hanover Airport, marking the second flight this month.
Pakistan has set a March 31 deadline for the deportation of all Afghan refugees, according to media reports.
The group that arrived on Thursday includes 82 women and 92 men, 74 of whom are younger than 18 years of age, including nine children under two years of age, German media outlet Bild reported, quoting a spokesman for the German Federal Ministry of the Interior.
"We were in the Pakistani refugee camp for eleven months because my wife was threatened by the Taliban because of her job as a lawyer. When the plane landed after twelve hours of flight, I was just happy and grateful," said an Afghan refugee after arrival.
In February, 155 Afghans had landed by charter in Berlin, who were allowed to enter Germany through the country's "federal reception programme" -- including five former local forces and their 22 family members, with many women and minors.
The German government began the admission program in 2021 to support Afghans who worked with the German military or civilian agencies during its two-decade mission in Afghanistan.
According to the German government, only refugees who are particularly at risk from the Taliban in Afghanistan are being brought. Since the Taliban's return to power in August 2021, almost 36,000 people have been accepted, who were classified by the Federal Government as "particularly at risk."
German media outlet Welt reported that around 2,800 Afghan people approved for resettlement in Germany are currently still living in Islamabad, and their perspective is increasingly bleak.
The visas are valid for three months, and the exit procedure to Germany takes considerably longer. However, the Pakistani authorities have decided not to extend the deadline for the deportation of Afghan migrants.
Recently, Afghan refugees awaiting resettlement to the United States have written an open letter to Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to immediately halt deportations of refugees who have pending or approved visa applications for entry into the United States or accepted referrals into the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).
Earlier, a US-based advocacy group, Human Rights Watch, slammed Pakistan for the forced deportation of Afghan refugees.
"Pakistani officials should immediately stop coercing Afghans to return home and give those facing expulsion the opportunity to seek protection," said Elaine Pearson, Asia Director at Human Rights Watch.
Several reports revealed that Afghan refugees are facing massive harassment and abuse in Pakistan. Asking various human rights organisations to take action on their behalf, the Afghan refugees stated that despite holding valid legal documents, they are facing the threat of illegal detention, deportation, and discrimination.
