Germany Plans to Admit Afghan Refugees by End of 2025 Amid Tight Deadlines

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has announced plans to admit Afghan refugees by the end of 2025 as part of federal government commitments. Currently, the government aims to bring in 460 individuals under a federal admission program and 75 former local staff members from Pakistan. A recent government-organized charter flight brought 160 Afghan refugees to Berlin, where they are housed in guesthouses in Islamabad awaiting security checks and visa issuance.

Pakistan has imposed a strict deadline requiring Germany to complete refugee procedures by year-end. Should the deadline lapse, Pakistan intends to deport these individuals back to Afghanistan, despite the country's border currently being closed. These refugee admissions stem from Germany's promise to accept vulnerable Afghans following the Taliban's takeover of Kabul in August 2021, focusing on former local staff and others threatened by the regime.

However, according to the coalition agreement among CDU, CSU, and SPD, Germany is moving away from voluntary admission programs like those implemented for Afghanistan. Recently, approximately 650 Afghan individuals previously assured asylum were officially denied, with Germany offering assistance for their return to Afghanistan or resettlement elsewhere.

Minister Dobrindt stressed, "We have an interest in processing this as quickly as possible and are in contact with Pakistani authorities," emphasizing the urgency of finalizing admissions. These developments highlight Germany's balancing act between humanitarian commitments and logistical challenges in processing Afghan refugee admissions under tight international deadlines.