Pakistani police have rescued a French woman and her five children after she reported being held captive by her husband for over a decade and subjected to domestic abuse. The 54-year-old woman, identified as Sylvie Yasmina, was found earlier this week in a mud-brick home in Bara, a town in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Police have arrested the husband, Ahmad Khan, and are conducting an investigation. According to district police chief Waqar Ahmad, Yasmina alleged that her husband physically and psychologically abused her, describing him as having an extremely violent temperament. She and her children were found in a dilapidated room, and Yasmina displayed visible signs of injury on her face.
The rescue occurred after one of Yasmina's sons managed to leave the house and reach a local police station. Yasmina and her children were subsequently transferred to a women's police station for protection. Police reported that Yasmina stated she had been unable to live freely since moving to Pakistan in 2014, and her children were never enrolled in school.
In a video statement recorded by police, Yasmina expressed gratitude for her rescue and reiterated her wish to return to France. Authorities are coordinating with French embassy officials regarding her repatriation. The French embassy has not yet issued an immediate comment.
Domestic violence is a significant issue in Pakistan, with human rights groups reporting hundreds of cases of physical and psychological abuse against women annually, though many cases are believed to go unreported. Shabina Ayaz, director of the rights group Aurat Foundation, condemned the alleged treatment of Yasmina and urged Pakistani authorities and the French embassy to provide assistance, calling the case a wake-up call for society.