Berlin is offering cash incentives to Afghan refugees in Pakistan if they agree to leave a resettlement programme for Germany, activists said Tuesday.
The initiative targets around 2,000 Afghans who were accepted under a scheme set up by the previous German government but have been waiting in Pakistan since Chancellor Friedrich Merz froze the programme in May.
According to Airbridge Kabul, a refugee support initiative, letters have been sent to refugees offering money and assistance in exchange for exiting the German resettlement plan. Single women could receive 1,500 euros in Pakistan and an additional 5,000 euros if they travel to Afghanistan or a third country.
A spokeswoman for Germany’s interior ministry confirmed that the offers fall under a voluntary return programme, either to Afghanistan or another country.
The original German programme was designed to protect Afghans who had worked with German forces or faced heightened risks from the Taliban, including journalists, lawyers and human rights defenders.
Eva Beyer of Airbridge Kabul said many refugees were shocked by the new offer. “I’ve been trembling all over and can’t stop crying,” read one message shared with the news agency. “I don’t want money or bread, I just want to live in safety.”
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Pakistan has recently stepped up enforcement against Afghans living without residency, and over the summer, more than 200 programme participants were deported to Afghanistan. Although Germany reached an understanding with Pakistan to halt further arrests until the end of the year, Airbridge Kabul reported 17 arrests in late October, with tensions worsened by military clashes last month.
Some refugees have successfully reached Germany through legal action, including a group of 14 who arrived last Thursday. The latest letters warn that “procedures in Pakistan must be fully completed by the end of 2025” but cannot guarantee that all resettlement cases will finish on time.
