French Woman Rescued in Pakistan After Husband Allegedly Held Her Captive 12 Years

Pakistani police launched a raid on a mud-brick home in Bara, a town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province near the Afghan border, and rescued a French woman identified as Yasmina, 54, along with her five children. The woman alleged she had been held captive by her husband for over a decade, subjected to years of domestic abuse, and completely cut off from any contact with the outside world.

How the Rescue Happened

One of the couple's sons managed to slip out of the home and file a police report, which triggered the raid. Officers found Yasmina and her children in a cramped, extremely dilapidated room, with visible bruising on their bodies. The husband, identified as Ahmad Khan, was arrested. The woman and her children were taken to a women's shelter in the city of Peshawar.

The Family's History

Yasmina and Ahmad Khan married in 2003 and initially lived in Australia, where they had their two older children. In 2014, the family moved to Pakistan with two children; three more were born after the relocation. Yasmina states that from the time of arrival in Pakistan, she had no communication with the outside world. One of the five children is deaf and mute.

Diplomatic and Legal Proceedings

French consular authorities are in contact with Pakistani officials following the rescue. Pakistani police have opened an investigation into the alleged domestic abuse and unlawful confinement. Ahmad Khan faces charges under Pakistani law relating to assault and unlawful detention, with proceedings under way in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa court system.