PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) – On Wednesday, Pakistan police announced the rescue of a French woman, identified as 54-year-old Sylvie Yasmina, and her five children after she reported enduring over a decade of captivity and domestic abuse at the hands of her husband. This incident took place in Bara, a town located in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, near the Afghan border.
District police chief Waqar Ahmad confirmed that Yasmina was freed earlier this week from a mud-brick home. Her husband, Ahmad Khan, has been arrested, and investigations are currently underway to uncover the details surrounding the case.
Domestic violence is a pervasive issue in Pakistan, with human rights organizations indicating that hundreds of women report experiencing physical and psychological abuse from their husbands and family members annually. Many cases, however, remain unreported. Each year, numerous women are murdered for allegedly violating conservative social norms concerning love, marriage, and public behavior.
The police revealed that the rescue operation was initiated when one of Yasmina’s sons managed to escape from their home and reach a local police station for help. Following their rescue, Yasmina and her children were moved to a women's police station for their protection.
Police chief Ahmad disclosed that Yasmina expressed her desire to return to France. Consequently, authorities are collaborating with relevant officials and the French embassy to facilitate her repatriation, although no immediate comments have been provided by the French diplomatic mission.
In her initial statement to the police, Yasmina accused her husband of both physical and psychological abuse, detailing his extremely violent temperament. Ahmad also mentioned that Yasmina and her children were discovered living in a dilapidated room, with Yasmina showing visible signs of injury on her face.
Yasmina informed investigators that since moving to Pakistan in 2014, she had not lived freely. Moreover, it was revealed that her children had never been enrolled in school, further highlighting the condition of their living situation.
A video recorded by police and shared with the media captures Yasmina expressing her gratitude to the officers for their intervention. In the video, she spoke in a mix of English and Pashto, reiterating her wish to return to France.
Shabina Ayaz, director of the Aurat Foundation, a rights group, condemned the alleged treatment Yasmina endured. She emphasized the importance of providing the family with necessary assistance from both the French embassy and Pakistani authorities, suggesting that this incident should serve as a wake-up call for societal and governmental response to domestic violence.
The information detailed in this report was compiled with contributions from reporters in Islamabad and Peshawar. The situation underscores the significant challenges faced by women in Pakistan, especially in relation to domestic abuse and human rights protections.
