Pakistan, July 16 -- Thousands of Afghans were secretly moved to Britain after a serious data leak exposed their personal details and put their lives at risk under Taliban rule. The UK government launched a classified relocation scheme in 2022, costing an estimated £2 billion, to protect those affected.

The leak, caused by the Ministry of Defence, involved a spreadsheet mistakenly emailed outside official channels. The file included names of Afghans who had worked with British forces and were applying for asylum. Their details were later found on Facebook, prompting urgent action.

A superinjunction, granted in 2023, blocked media from reporting the breach or the relocation effort, but a court lifted the restriction on Tuesday. Defe...