Germany has stopped plans to resettle 640 Afghans currently in Pakistan. These people, many who worked for the German military during the US occupation of Afghanistan, had been promised sanctuary by the previous German government. Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative government has ended two refugee programs started by the centre-left government before him. Merz is taking a tougher approach to migration to counter far-right political pressure. An interior ministry spokesperson said that those 640 people will soon be told there is "no longer any political interest in their being admitted" to Germany. Rights groups called this a betrayal. Karl Kopp, head of German NGO Pro Asyl, said, "The previous government promised to take these people in for one reason only: they had fought for women’s rights, human rights and freedom in Afghanistan." He warned they face "persecution, abuse and death" if returned. After the Taliban took power four years ago, Germany's previous government offered refuge to at-risk Afghans, including local staff who worked for the German military, activists, and journalists. Before Merz took office in May 2024, about 4,000 local staff and 15,000 family members resettled to Germany. Since then, only a few hundred have arrived as the new government moves to end the program. The interior ministry offered money to those who give up their right to resettlement, but only 62 accepted. NGOs say up to 1,800 Afghans approved for relocation remain stranded in Pakistan. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has limited eligibility to those with a "legally binding" promise, covering just 90 of 220 local staff still waiting. One former local police trainer told Frankfurter Rundschau he was shocked: "In a single moment, all my hopes and dreams of a normal life were shattered." Military reporter Thomas Wiegold warned this move might hurt future missions abroad. Over 250 NGOs, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have asked the government to evacuate all remaining Afghans before Pakistan's deadline at the end of 2024. Germany has also resumed deportations to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Chancellor Olaf Scholz last year promised a stricter policy on deporting those with criminal records. Several deportation flights have occurred despite reports of serious human rights abuses in Afghanistan, including torture and public executions.