The Germany government is reportedly offering cash incentives to Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan who have been approved for resettlement but are willing to withdraw from the programme.
These refugees were originally accepted under Germany’s humanitarian scheme designed for at-risk Afghans, yet they remain stranded in Pakistan after the programme was frozen under Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative administration.
According to activists, applicants have received formal letters from Germany offering payments. In one example cited, a single woman could receive an initial €1,500 in Pakistan and a further €5,000 if she then travels to Afghanistan or another third country.
The German Interior Ministry confirmed that the offer is part of a “voluntary return programme” framework for returning to Afghanistan or relocating elsewhere.
Refugee advocacy groups say the move is controversial: many beneficiaries of the original resettlement scheme feel shocked or betrayed, arguing they sought safety—not financial compensation—in Germany.
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