Pakistan, July 3 -- ISLAMABAD/BERLIN - Hundreds of Afghan refugees stuck in Pakistan are facing uncertainty after Germany halted its humanitarian admission programme that once promised them safety and a new start.

The programme, launched in October 2022, aimed to bring vulnerable Afghans - including women's rights activists, journalists, and at-risk minorities - to Germany. However, after political changes in Berlin, the new centre-right government suspended the initiative in May 2025.

As a result, over 2,400 Afghans who were approved to travel remain stranded. Many like Kimia, a 25-year-old artist and activist, have had their embassy interviews cancelled. "All my life comes down to this interview," she said from a guesthouse in Islamab...