Recent Appearances...

Warning: Undefined array key "rbname" in /data/rantburg.com/www/rantburg/pgrecentorg.php on line 14
Hello !
Recent Appearances...

India-Pakistan

Army's top brass reiterates resolve to take action at all levels against India-backed proxies

2025-07-11

[GEO.TV] The Pakistan Army's top brass has reiterated its vow to take decisive and holistic actions at all levels against the Indian backed and sponsored proxies, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Thursday.

The 271st Corps Commanders' Conference (CCC), held in Rawalpindi under the chairmanship of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff, observed that India is intensifying its actions against Pakistan following its recent defeat in the war.

Pakistan and India went to war in May after New Delhi launched attacks on Islamabad, claiming that it was involved in the attack on tourists in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam — an allegation that the Pakistani government has denied.

Although the war stopped within 90 hours after Pakistan's decisive response, the government has said that Indian carried out numerous terrorist activities in Pakistan via its proxies since the clash.

During the high-level meeting, the CCC offered Fateha for the martyrs of recent terrorist attacks carried out by Indian-sponsored proxies, vowing that their sacrifices would not go in vain.

Link

India-Pakistan

Poliovirus detected in 18-month-old girl from KP

2025-06-28

[GEO.TV] Pakistain has reported its 13th polio
polio

...Poliomyelitis is a disease caused by infection with the poliovirus. Between 1840 and the 1950s, polio was a worldwide epidemic. Since the development of polio vaccines the disease has been largely wiped out in the civilized world. However, since the vaccine is known to make Moslem pee-pees shrink and renders females sterile, bookish, and unsubmissive it is not widely used by the turban and automatic weapons set. Currently the disease is only found in Pakistain and Afghanistain...
case of 2025, after the Regional Reference Laboratory at the NIH confirmed the virus in an 18-month-old girl from Union Council Amakhel, District Tank in South Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

This is the seventh case from the province this year, raising renewed alarm over persistent virus circulation in high-risk areas.

So far, four cases have been reported from Sindh, and one each from Punjab
...1. Little Orphan Annie's bodyguard
2. A province of Pakistain ruled by one of the Sharif brothers
3. A province of India. It is majority (60 percent) Sikh and Hindoo (37 percent), which means it has relatively few Moslem riots
....
and Gilgit-Baltistan.

The Regional Reference Laboratory at NIH Islamabad confirmed a case of wild poliovirus in a 33-month-old boy from KP's Bannu district on Sunday.

Last week, the Pakistain Polio Eradication Programme reported that poliovirus was detected in environmental samples taken from seven different districts in the country.

The programme said virus was found in environmental samples from Quetta, Gwadar, South Wazoo (lower) and South Waziristan (upper). Furthermore, environmental samples taken from Larkana, Rawalpindi and Mirpurkhas also contained poliovirus.

Link

-Signs, Portents, and the Weather-

At least six killed as heavy rains, dust storms hit parts of Pakistan

2025-05-28

[GEO.TV] At least six people, including two children, bit the dust and more than two dozen sustained injuries as heavy rains and dust storms battered parts of the country on Tuesday, causing widespread damage to homes, crops, and infrastructure.

According to Pakistain Meteorological Department (PMD), moist currents were continuously penetrating the upper and central regions, and a westerly wave was expected to enter the upper parts of the country on May 28.

As a result, windstorms, rain, and isolated heavy falls with possible hailstorms were anticipated in a wide range of areas, including Kashmir
Kashmir

...a disputed territory lying between India and Pakistain. After partition, the Paks grabbed half of it and call it Azad (Free) Kashmir. The remainder they refer to as "Indian Occupied Kashmir". They have fought four wars with India over it, the score currently 4-0 in New Delhi's favor. After 72 years of this nonsense, India cut the Gordian knot in 2019, removing the area's special status, breaking off Ladakh as a separate state, and allowing people from other areas to settle (or in the case of the Pandits, to resettle) there....
, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad
...formerly known as Lyallpur, the third largest metropolis in Pakistain, the second largest in Punjab after Lahore. It is named after some Arab because the Paks didn't have anybody notable of their own to name it after...
, Beautiful Downtown Peshawar
...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, administrative and economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Peshawar is situated near the eastern end of the Khyber Pass, convenient to the Pak-Afghan border. Peshawar has evolved into one of Pakistain's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire...
, Swat, and several other cities and districts across Punjab
...1. Little Orphan Annie's bodyguard
2. A province of Pakistain ruled by one of the Sharif brothers
3. A province of India. It is majority (60 percent) Sikh and Hindoo (37 percent), which means it has relatively few Moslem riots
....
, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan
...the Pak province bordering Kandahar and Uruzgun provinces in Afghanistan and Sistan Baluchistan in Iran. Its native Baloch propulation is being displaced by Pashtuns and Punjabis and they aren't happy about it...
.

The advisory warned that windstorms, dust-thunderstorms, hailstorms, and lightning may damage loose structures such as electric poles, trees, vehicles, and solar panels.

In Muzaffarabad, a cloudburst struck the Bhalgran area, killing three people and leaving one person missing, the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) in a statement.

Initial assessments revealed that 30 to 35 houses were completely destroyed. Relief goods have been dispatched to the affected population.

Link

India-Pakistan

Army top brass vows to decimate India-backed terrorist proxies with ''full force''

2025-05-23

[GEO.TV] A day after a blast in Khuzdar martyred six people, including four children, the military's top brass has vowed to dismantle and decimate all proxies and controllers of terrorism with unrelenting resolve, according to a statement issued by the military's media wing on Thursday.

"These hostile elements, trained and financed to incite chaos and fear, will be dismantled and decimated with full force of national will and institutional strength."

The statement came after Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir chaired the 270th Corps Commanders' Conference (CCC) at the General Headquarters, Rawalpindi.

The ISPR said the top commanders' meeting commenced with Fateha for the deaders of Bunyan-um-Marsoos, and the heinous terrorist attack in Khuzdar, Balochistan
...the Pak province bordering Kandahar and Uruzgun provinces in Afghanistan and Sistan Baluchistan in Iran. Its native Baloch propulation is being displaced by Pashtuns and Punjabis and they aren't happy about it...
, an atrocity perpetrated through India-sponsored proxies, which resulted in the loss of four innocent children and two adults.

Link

India-Pakistan

Youm-e-Tashakkur rallies held across Pakistan to celebrate success of powerful operation against India

2025-05-12

[GEO.TV] Pakistain on Sunday observed 'Youm-e-Tashakkur' (thanksgiving day) to celebrate armed forces' befitting response to Indian aggression under 'Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos'.

Rallies were held across the country including in Bloody Karachi
...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous...
, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Beautiful Downtown Peshawar
...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, administrative and economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Peshawar is situated near the eastern end of the Khyber Pass, convenient to the Pak-Afghan border. Peshawar has evolved into one of Pakistain's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire...
, Quetta and other cities to pay tribute to the exceptional valour of the armed forces and appreciate the unity of the entire nation.

According to a statement issued by the Media Wing of the Prime Minister's Office, the PM said the 'Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos' gave an effective and befitting response to the enemy's aggression, adding that the country proved its superiority at every front.

He said that despite India's aggression, Pakistain maintained its defence with resilience and demonstrated full readiness to deal with the situation.

The premier urged the nation and the Ulema (religious scholars) to offer collective prayers and Nawafils across the country as an expression of gratitude to Allah Almighty.

He called for holding special prayers for the blessings of deaders and Ghazis, saying that the sacrifices of the Pak armed forces could never be forgotten. The nation stands by their side, he added.

The development came following US President Donald Trump

...The cad! Twice caught beating wimmin!...
's declaration that Pakistain and India had agreed to a ceasefire after Pakistain's military response to Indian aggression.

Link

India-Pakistan

India hit identified military targets in Pakistan in retaliatory precision strikes Saturday morning

2025-05-11

[TimesOfIndia] India on Saturday carried out retaliatory precision strikes at identified military targets in Pakistain after Islamabad fired several high-speed missiles at Indian air bases.

"After Pakistain deliberately targeted air bases, Indian armed forces took a quick and well-planned retaliatory action and targeted technical installations, command & control centres, radar sites and arms store. Pakistain military bases at Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur and Chunian were targeted through air launch, precision ammunition and fighter jets. Radar site in Pasrur and aviation base in Sialkot were also targeted with precision ammunition. During these actions, India ensured minimum collateral damage and losses," Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said at a special government briefing on Operation Sindoor.

Giving details of Pak aggression during the night, Col Sofiya Qureshi said: "Mighty Pak Army is continuously attacking the western borders; it has used drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions and fighter jets to attack India's military sites. India neutralised many dangers, but Pakistain tried to infiltrate via Air at more than 26 places, and they damaged our equipment and personnel at air force bases in Udhampur, Bhuj, Pathankot, Bathinda. They used high-speed missiles at 1.40am to target Punjab
Punjab

...1. Little Orphan Annie's bodyguard
2. A province of Pakistain ruled by one of the Sharif brothers
3. A province of India. It is majority (60 percent) Sikh and Hindoo (37 percent), which means it has relatively few Moslem riots
....
's air base. They even attacked health facilities and schools."

India reiterated that it was only responding to Pak provocations.

"I have said on numerous earlier occasions, it is Pak actions that have constituted provocations and escalations. In response, India has defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion to these provocations and escalations by the Pak side. Earlier this morning, we saw a repeat of this escalatory and provocative pattern," foreign secretary Vikram Misri said.
Early on Saturday, multiple explosions were heard at several locations in Pakistain pointing to Indian punitive action. Pakistain had claimed that its three air bases were targeted - Nur Khan air base in the garrison city of Rawalpindi near the capital Islamabad, Murid air base in Chakwal city and Rafiqui air base in the Jhang district of eastern Punjab province.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said that Pakistain Army was moving its troops towards forward areas, indicating an offensive intent to further escalation. "Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness, and all hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded proportionately. Indian armed forces reiterated their commitment to non-escalation, provided the Pakistain side reciprocates," she said.

Meanwhile,
...back at the laboratory the smoke and fumes had dispersed, to reveal an ominous sight...
government slammed Pakistain for attempting to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, with claims of destruction of the Indian S-400 system, destruction of airfields at Surat and Sirsa.

"India unequivocally rejects these false claims being spread by Pakistain," the government said and showed time-stamped images of undamaged Indian air bases to debunk Pakistain claims.

Link

India-Pakistan

Pakistan says it has struck military targets inside India in series of new attacks

2025-05-10

[FoxNews] India and Pakistan have traded attacks against one another in recent days

Pakistan's armed forces said they hit back at India, targeting military sites, after India fired missiles at three of its air bases in a frightening escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

India had earlier targeted the three air bases inside Pakistan with missiles, most of which were intercepted, on Saturday, Pakistani military officials said.

The strike marks the latest escalation between the nuclear-armed rivals, a move triggered by a mass shooting that India blames Pakistan for.

In a televised address, Pakistani army spokesman, Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif, said the country’s air force assets were safe.

He added that some of the Indian missiles also hit India’s eastern Punjab. There was no immediate comment from India.

"This is a provocation of the highest order," Sharif said.

The missiles targeted Nur Khan air base in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, Murid air base in Chakwal city and Rafiqui air base in the Jhang district of eastern Punjab province, Sharif said.

Some of the missiles landed in Afghanistan, he said.

"I want to give you the shocking news that India fired six ballistic missiles from its city of Adampur," said Sharif. One of the ballistic missiles hit Adampur, the remaining five missiles hit the Indian Punjab area of Amritsar."

Earlier this week, Pakistan shot down more than two dozen drones.

The fraught relationship between the neighboring nations hit a low following an attack at a popular tourist area in India-controlled Kashmir, leaving 26 people dead.

Most of those killed were Hindu tourists. India has blamed Pakistan, which denies any involvement.

Link

India-Pakistan

Pakistan to respond ‘forcefully’ to any Indian aggression, says Dr Faisal

2025-05-04

[GEO.TV] Pakistain's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr Mohammad Faisal reiterated that Pakistain would give a befitting response to any Indian aggression.

In an interview with international media, he strongly rejected India's allegations, terming them baseless and lacking evidence. ''India's accusations are rooted in falsehood and carry no factual weight,'' he added.

Reaffirming Pakistain's stance on the Kashmir
Kashmir

Link

India-Pakistan

DNI went to India for intelligence meeting, landed hours after Hafiz Saeed’s nephew assassinated

2025-03-17

Hattip 3dc.

[X] It won’t embed, so go to the link to see the exact same thing.

FJ
@Natsecjeff
US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard lands in New Delhi. On the same day when there's an annual intelligence meeting being held in the Indian capital. And hours after an incident in Pakistan where Hafiz Saeed's nephew was assassinated and there are some rumors about Saeed himself as well.

Very interesting things happening in South Asia.

What actually happened:

Hafiz Saeed's Close Aide, LeT Terrorist Abu Qatal Killed In Pakistan

[OneIndia] Close ally to Hafiz Saeed

...founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba and its false-mustache offshoot Jamaat-ud-Dawa. The United Nations declared the JuD a terrorist organization in 2008 and Hafiz Saeed a terrorist as its leader. Hafiz, JuD and LeT are wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Pak intel apparatus, so that amounted to squat. He is periodically placed under house arrest so it looks like the govt is doing something. Once the heat is off they let him go....
and a wanted terrorist Abu Qatal

…that’s the nom de guerre of Faisal Nadeem, nephew of 11/26 attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed…

has been killed in Pakistain. According to the reports, Abu Qatal was criminal mastermind behind orchestrating terror operations against India, and was involved in the 2017 Reasi kaboom and the 2023 bus attack on pilgrims in Jammu and Kashmir
...a disputed territory lying between India and Pakistain. After partition, the Paks grabbed half of it and call it Azad (Free) Kashmir. The remainder they refer to as "Indian Occupied Kashmir". They have fought four wars with India over it, the score currently 4-0 in New Delhi's favor. After 72 years of this nonsense, India cut the Gordian knot in 2019, removing the area's special status, breaking off Ladakh as a separate state, and allowing people from other areas to settle (or in the case of the Pandits, to resettle) there....
Qatal's liquidation took place in Pakistain when two person or persons unknown shot him while he was traveling in his vehicle. This event concludes years of tracking by Indian authorities. Due to his active role in planning terror attacks, Qatal had been on India's most-wanted list for a long time.

ROLE IN TERROR ACTIVITIES
Qatal played a significant role in several high-profile attacks, including the 2017 Reasi kaboom targeting civilians. He was also behind the deadly attack on a bus near Shiv Khori temple on June 9, 2023, which resulted in multiple casualties. These incidents highlighted his influence in terror activities across Jammu and Kashmir.

A trusted aide of Hafiz Saeed, Qatal held the position of chief operational commander for Lashkar-e-Taiba
...the Army of the Pure, an Ahl-e-Hadith terror organization founded by Hafiz Saeed. LeT masquerades behind the Jamaat-ud-Dawa facade within Pakistain and periodically blows things up and kills people in India. Despite the fact that it is banned, always an interesting concept in Pakistain, the organization remains an blatant tool and perhaps an arm of the ISI...>
(LeT). Under his leadership, LeT continued executing numerous terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir. His expertise included coordinating attacks, recruiting terrorists, and conducting cross-border infiltration operations.

INVOLVEMENT IN RAJOURI AND DANGRI ATTACKS
Beyond Reasi attacks, Qatal was directly linked to other deadly operations. In January 2023, he played a pivotal role in terror strikes at Rajouri and Dangri, targeting civilians including children. These attacks resulted in numerous casualties and left the region reeling with fear.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) included Qatal's name in its charge sheet for these attacks. On January 1, 2023, the Dangri village strike resulted in seven deaths, including two children. An IED blast followed this incident, causing serious injuries to others.

RECRUITMENT AND INFILTRATION OPERATIONS
NIA investigations revealed Qatal's direct involvement with LeT's recruitment and infiltration operations. He facilitated sending snuffies from Pakistain to Jammu and Kashmir, focusing on minority communities and security personnel as targets. His actions fueled ongoing violence and unrest in Kashmir.

Operating from Khureta launch pad in District Kotli of Pakistain-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), Qatal was the self-styled commander of an important Lashkar-e-Taiba camp. Under his direction, this camp became a key epicenter for LeT's activities in Rajouri-Poonch sector.

LEADERSHIP ROLE
Qatal played a crucial role orchestrating major attacks within Rajouri-Poonch area. His involvement was confirmed after Nisar's arrest from Surankote Poonch regarding Bhatia Durian attack targeting an army vehicle in April 2023.

His deep-rooted network established during earlier operations allowed him to revive terror activities upon returning to Pakistain. As one of LeT's top commanders enjoying Hafiz Saeed's confidence; he reported directly to Sajid Jutt based out Rawalpindi.

Link

India-Pakistan

Train Hijacked in Terror attack in Balochistan

2025-03-12

[NYT] Separatist militants hijacked a train carrying more than 400 people in an isolated mountainous area of southwestern Pakistan on Tuesday. The fate of the passengers, dozens of whom the militants said they were holding hostage, was not immediately clear.

The militants, Baloch ethnic fighters, forced the train to stop in the Bolan district of Balochistan Province after opening fire on it, according to railway and police officials. The train was traveling from Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, to Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. It was to pass through several cities, including Lahore and Rawalpindi, near Islamabad.

Courtesy of Skidmark, more from the Daily Mail:

Armed militants have taken 450 passengers hostage and wounded the train driver during a 'terrorist attack' in Pakistan's volatile southwestern Balochistan province, officials said.

The separatist Baloch Liberation Army has threatened to execute all the hostages it has in its custody if the Pakistani authorities attempt to intervene.

'Over 450 passengers onboard are being held hostage by gunmen,' Muhammad Kashif, a senior railway government official in Quetta, the capital of the province, told reporters.

The train was trapped inside a tunnel after the attack, during which it came under fire and the driver was wounded, police and railway officials said.

In a statement, the BLA claimed responsibility for the hijacking and said six military personnel had been killed in the gunfight.

The group said they had taken hostages from the train, including security forces, with the exact number in their custody unclear.

'During this operation, BLA fighters have released women, children, and Baloch passengers, ensuring that all remaining hostages are serving personnel of the occupying forces,' the group said in a statement.

No contact has been established with the 450 passengers and staff aboard the nine-coach train, railway officials told local media.

The Jaffar Express had been on its way from Quetta in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province to Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa when it was fired on, officials said.

A decades-old insurgency in Balochistan by separatist militant groups has led to frequent attacks against the government, army and Chinese interests in the region, pressing demands for a share in its resources.

The oil- and mineral-rich Balochistan is Pakistan's largest but also least populated province.

It is a hub for the country's ethnic Baloch minority whose members say they face discrimination and exploitation by the central government.

The BLA seeks independence for Balochistan. It is the biggest of several ethnic insurgent groups that have battled the South Asian nation's government for decades, saying it unfairly exploits Balochistan's rich gas and mineral resources.

Frank G gives us the report from the NY Post:

Pakistani insurgents took over a passenger train carrying an estimated 500 people on Tuesday, with the separatists threatening to kill some 182 hostages if their demands were not met.

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) blew up the tracks for the Jaffar Express train traveling through a tunnel in southwest Balochistan, killing at least 20 people in a subsequent shootout before hijacking the locomotive, local officials said.

The BLA claimed it freed all civilians on board the train, keeping about 182 alleged military and police personnel as hostages to exchange for the release of prisoners belonging to the separatist group.

The BLA, who has engaged in “intense” shootouts with responding forces, warned the Pakistani military not to interfere in the intense confrontation or else “all hostages will be executed.”

Balochistan officials have denied that there are any military officers on the train, slamming the attack as “an act of terrorism” threatening the lives of innocent civilians.

Imran Hayat, a senior official for Pakistan Railways, also refuted the BLA’s claim that it only killed Pakistani soldiers, noting that the train conductor was also killed in the assault, CNN reports.

Link

India-Pakistan

20% of Afghans deported from Islamabad and Rawalpindi hold UN documents

2025-03-07

[KhaamaPress] In February, 20% of the Afghans deported from Islamabad and Rawalpindi were found to have UN Refugee Agency documents, raising concerns about the forced expulsions of individuals seeking protection.

In February, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) revealed a significant spike in deportations, with 930 Afghans forcibly returned to Afghanistan—double the number from just two weeks earlier. Notably, 20% of those expelled from Islamabad and Rawalpindi held UN Refugee Agency documents, highlighting the escalating deportation crisis.

The United Nations
...an organization conceived in the belief that we're just one big happy world, with the sort of results you'd expect from such nonsense...
reported that in January, 1,245 Afghans were detained or arrested across Pakistain, more than double last year’s figures. This indicates a growing crackdown on Afghan refugees, many of whom are undocumented or have migration documents but still face deportation.

Many of those detained hold migration documents, recognizing them as people needing international protection. However,
some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them...
these individuals continue to face challenges in securing protection, with many trapped in a hostile environment in Pakistain.

Islamabad and Rawalpindi have seen a sharp rise in arrests and deportations of Afghans. Refugees in these cities live in constant fear of daily police raids, with many unable to obtain legal documentation to avoid detention.

The forced deportation of Afghan refugees highlights their precarious situation in Pakistain. The Pak government’s deadlines for undocumented refugees to leave intensify their vulnerability, as the country does not recognize them under the Refugee Convention.

Despite claims from the Taliban
Taliban

...the once and current oppressors of Afghanistan...
that returnees will be safe, the UN reports that former Afghan officials and military personnel are still being targeted. This raises doubts about the safety of deported individuals returning to Afghanistan.

Link

Europe

Fact check: Afghan migrants not flown in by new German govt

2025-03-03

[DW] Germany has taken in more people from Afghanistan who were persecuted by the Taliban. However, their arrival was greeted with speculation and accusations online. A DW fact check.

Only a few days after the German parliamentary election a charter plane from Islamabad, Pakistain landed in Berlin with 155 Afghans on board. According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, more than half of these people came via the federal admission program for particularly vulnerable people. Many local media outlets reported about the event.

However,
the difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits...
many social media users saw a reason to claim that the new German government allowed them to enter the country, thereby breaking its promise of strict border control. But this is not true. DW Fact check has the details.

Claim: In a viral post on X, a user claimed, "In Germany, the borders were opened 24 hours after the elections. 48 hours later, the Afghan migrant plane arrived in Berlin. Germany is being invaded in a planned manner." The post already has more than 20 million views.

In another post, a user claimed, "Plane with 155 Afghans landed in Berlin. 12,000 more to come. Germany voted for the so-called 'center-right' CDU after they promised to stop Afghan immigration. They broke their promise just 48 hours after the election!"

DW Fact check: False
First, there is no new government in Germany yet following the elections on February 23. The country is still run by the outgoing government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz. While the conservative bloc CDU/CSU, led by Friedrich Merz, won the election, a new government has yet to be formed. Coalition negotiations with potential partners are about to start soon.

So the arrival of these Afghan ~~migrants~~ colonists was already planned by the outgoing government. According to the German news agency dpa, citing the Interior Ministry, more than half of the Afghans came to Germany from Afghanistan via the German Federal admission program for Afghanistan, which was set up on October 17, 2022. It was set up by the German government after the Taliban
Taliban

...mindless ferocity in a turban...
took power in Afghanistan in August 2021, to get particularly vulnerable people out of the country.

The remaining passengers came to Germany through other admission programs: the local forces procedure, the human rights
...which are usually open to widely divergent definitions...
list, and a bridging program, which were also established after the fall of the Taliban.

These programs focus in particular on local forces who have supported the German and international troops, democracy activists and people who are threatened by the Taliban because of their sexual or gender identity.

According to the German Interior Ministry, the German government had committed to admitting around 45,000 at-risk Afghans and their families. As of April 2024, more than 33,200 Afghans have already entered Germany under the Federal admission program for Afghanistan. Germany has also facilitated the entry of Afghans who previously worked for German authorities and organizations before the fall of Kabul according to the German Foreign Office.

Two flights from Islamabad were canceled at short notice just before the general elections in Germany, as per media reports. Since there is no functioning German embassy in Kabul, these individuals must travel to Islamabad on their own. After undergoing a long wait, security clearance, and visa issuance in Pakistain, they are then allowed to enter Germany.

The German Foreign Office has raised concerns as Afghan nationals have been instructed to leave Islamabad and the neighboring city of Rawalpindi by the end of March, according to the German news agency dpa. And with Pakistain reviving its effort to deport Afghans, many opponents of the Taliban are in danger of returning to a country ruled by the Islamist regime, DW's Haroon Janjua reports from Islamabad.

IMMIGRATION KEY ISSUE FOR DISINFORMATION IN GERMAN ELECTIONS
Immigration and deportation were among the key issues during Germany's recently concluded parliamentary elections. It has sparked a lot of mis- and disinformation online about the deportation of foreign nationals living in Germany.

Calls for increased deportations to Afghanistan have intensified following deadly attacks in the country involving im~~migrants~~ colonists, including Afghan nationals.

Link

Warning: Undefined property: stdClass::$T in /data/rantburg.com/www/rantburg/pgrecentorg.php on line 132
-12 More