German Court Orders Visas for At-Risk Afghans Stranded in Pakistan

A German court has ruled that the government must issue visas to Afghan nationals and their families who were accepted into a humanitarian admissions program established after the 2021 Taliban takeover. The court emphasized that the government is legally bound by "irrevocable" commitments to individuals already approved, such as a specific family in Pakistan facing imminent deportation to Afghanistan where they fear for their lives. Although the new center-right government has frozen the program and intends to end refugee admissions as part of stricter migration policies, the court clarified that it cannot renege on existing commitments. Approximately 2,400 Afghans with approved admissions remain stranded in Pakistan, while NGOs report an additional 17,000 applicants in early processing stages. The court's decision can be appealed, and the government retains the right to terminate the program and stop issuing new commitments going forward. This ruling highlights the tension between humanitarian obligations and the government's tougher stance on immigration under Chancellor Friedrich Merz's administration.