For the third time since Chancellor Friedrich Merz took office, Afghans with German resettlement commitments are being flown from Pakistan to Germany. The scheduled flight included a stopover in Istanbul, after which the passengers are to be distributed among various federal states.
The arrival follows two previous flights under the Merz administration. Earlier in September, 47 Afghans arrived in Hannover, and a second flight from Islamabad brought 28 individuals. Despite the federal program’s suspension in May, over 2,000 Afghans remain in Pakistan with confirmed entry rights to Germany.
The Federal Ministry of Interior emphasizes that all Afghans entering under the resettlement program must undergo security procedures. According to official figures, roughly 1,910 additional people with a commitment or declaration of acceptance are currently in Pakistan. This includes former local staff of German institutions, people from the ‘human rights list,’ and people from the federal resettlement program.
The intake program was initially established by the previous leftist government, which promised shelter to those awaiting relocation in Pakistan. The Merz administration had sought to halt the program, citing security concerns and the potential for misuse. However, legal challenges in Germany, supported by organizations such as the NGO Kabul Airlift, have allowed arrivals to continue.
The right-wing populist Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) criticized the ongoing flights on social media, writing, “The CDU is once again flying Afghan migrants to Germany. The supposedly halted admission program continues with the help of NGOs. We will drain this quagmire and introduce a repatriation program for people without the right to remain.”
Germany’s federal intake scheme for Afghanistan has come under fire for security lapses and administrative difficulties. Under former Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens), the Federal Foreign Office reportedly pressured Pakistani authorities to accelerate visa processing, even as the Federal Police repeatedly blocked Afghan arrivals at German airports over security concerns.
