Raids in German Accommodations in Pakistan
Since Saturday, Pakistani security forces have been searching GIZ accommodations in Islamabad. These house Afghan asylum seekers who are waiting to travel to Germany.
Approximately 2,300 people with legally binding admission promises have been staying in Pakistan for months, in some cases more than two years. Among them are about 1,700 women and children.
Pakistani security forces have already arrested hundreds of these people. We have received dozens of reports of deportations to Afghanistan. New distress calls are constantly reaching us.
Pakistani security forces are sometimes using violence, including against women and girls. We have also received reports of families being separated. Two sisters, aged 17 and 18, were arrested and taken without their parents and siblings; they are now in Afghanistan, but contact was lost after crossing the border.
At the time of sending this message, a family is also being taken to the Torkham border crossing, for whom a positive interim court order from the Berlin Administrative Court exists.
The German Embassy in Islamabad is evidently unable to protect the affected individuals effectively.
Responsibility of the German Federal Government
This situation is also the responsibility of the German Federal Government, which, despite oral assurances in the Bundestag and court rulings, is not willing to issue the promised visas to Afghan asylum seekers.
As 15 positive decisions from the Berlin Administrative Court clearly show, admission promises are legally binding. The Federal Government has, in many cases, filed appeals against these decisions at the Higher Administrative Court, but has since withdrawn some due to obvious lack of prospects.
In urgent proceedings, the Higher Administrative Court usually suspends immediate enforceability so that its potential decision is not preempted by visa issuance. Facts are now being created by the Pakistani government</strong – to the detriment of the asylum seekers.
Immediate Issuance of Visas
We demand that the German Federal Government:
- immediately issue visas to all Afghan asylum seekers with German admission promises and bring them to Germany;
- ensure that all deported individuals are immediately brought to safety and returned to Pakistan;
- ensure that those detained in Pakistan are immediately released.
Contacts for Inquiries
Please direct your questions to:
- Matthias Lehnert, Attorney, lehnert@aufenthaltsrecht.net
- Eva Beyer, NGO Kabul Luftbrücke; press@kabulluftbruecke.de
- Tilmann Röder, former Head of Case Management, Coordination Office (BAP); roeder@fu-berlin.de
- Victoria Lies, Attorney, representing plaintiffs lies@kanzlei-migration.de
