A desperate plea from Afghan asylum seekers stranded in Pakistan has been delivered to Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the German government, highlighting the escalating crisis surrounding their stalled relocation process and the looming threat of forced return to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. The two-page letter, drafted collectively by approximately 600 of the roughly 2,000 individuals affected and reported by the Süddeutsche Zeitung, paints a harrowing picture of fear and disillusionment, directly confronting Berlin’s increasingly restrictive policies.
The asylum seekers, many of whom have been trapped in Pakistan for months or even years, assert they fled Taliban rule to survive and vehemently deny the suggestion that their situation is driven by poverty. “We did not flee poverty, but from violence and death” the letter states, unequivocally rejecting a recent offer from Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt’s office which proposes financial incentives for individuals to waive their claim for protection. The offer has sparked widespread outrage, with those affected expressing deep betrayal by a nation they once perceived as a beacon of safety.
The letter’s candidness underscores a deepening sense of abandonment, revealing a growing belief that the current German government is systematically attempting to dismantle the promised relocation process, even at the risk of exposing vulnerable individuals to severe harm. The phrasing explicitly accuses the government of disregarding previous commitments and potentially condemning them to “torture and persecution”. This direct appeal, delivered via Bundestag liaison offices, marks the first instance of this scale where the stranded asylum seekers have addressed German policymakers as a collective body.
The situation has drawn sharp criticism from the opposition. Marcel Emmerich, the Green Party’s domestic policy spokesperson, denounced the government’s actions as a “scandal” accusing it of ignoring its own legal obligations while facing significant financial penalties. The criticisms focus not only on the precarious legal status of the asylum seekers but also on the moral implications of potentially returning individuals to a country experiencing widespread human rights abuses. The incident has reignited a wider debate regarding Germany’s responsibility to uphold the promise of refuge and the ethical considerations surrounding repatriation policies in conflict zones, placing considerable political pressure on Chancellor Merz to intervene and resolve the crisis before the situation deteriorates further.