AI Generated Summary
- A French national and her five children have been rescued from an alleged years-long ordeal of abuse and confinement in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, following a police operation triggered by the escape of one of her sons.
- She further alleged that the family’s two eldest children were forced to abandon their education after the move, while the three younger children, all born in Pakistan, were never enrolled in school.
- Investigators said Yasmina married the Pakistani man in Australia in 2003, where the couple initially lived before relocating to Pakistan over a decade later with their two eldest children.
A French national and her five children have been rescued from an alleged years-long ordeal of abuse and confinement in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, following a police operation triggered by the escape of one of her sons.
The woman, identified as 54-year-old Sylvie Yasmina, was found with her children in a small, severely run-down room in Bara, where authorities say the family had been living under harsh conditions. Police reported that the mother and children bore visible bruises and have since been relocated to a women’s protection shelter in Peshawar while arrangements are made for their return to France.
The rescue came after one of Yasmina’s sons managed to flee the residence and alerted local police, prompting an investigation and subsequent raid. Her Pakistani husband was arrested at the scene and remains under investigation. Officials have not released his identity as inquiries continue.
According to statements given to investigators, Yasmina alleged that her life changed dramatically after the family moved from Australia to Pakistan in 2014. She claimed that what began as a marriage eventually turned into prolonged isolation, physical abuse and strict confinement, with little or no contact with the outside world.
She further alleged that the family’s two eldest children were forced to abandon their education after the move, while the three younger children, all born in Pakistan, were never enrolled in school.
In her statement to police, Yasmina described a life marked by fear and constant violence, alleging that both she and her children were subjected to regular physical abuse. She said she feared not only for her own future but also for the future of her children if they remained in those circumstances.
Investigators said Yasmina married the Pakistani man in Australia in 2003, where the couple initially lived before relocating to Pakistan over a decade later with their two eldest children. Authorities have also stated that the husband was allegedly residing illegally in Australia at the time the couple met.
The case has attracted widespread attention internationally after images of the rescued family circulated across social media platforms. Police have confirmed that the allegations are being thoroughly investigated, while French authorities are expected to coordinate with their Pakistani counterparts regarding the family’s repatriation.
