She was lured to Pakistan with a promise of love, then allegedly forced to marry
A Spanish woman was rescued from Pakistan after allegedly being deceived into travelling there, having her passport confiscated and being forced into a marriage with a cousin.
A Pakistani woman was allegedly lured to Spain with false promises of love, only to be forced into an unwanted marriage, police in Barcelona reported on Saturday. The victim, who had travelled to Pakistan in September 2025, was rescued and returned to Spain after two men, aged 41 and 45, were arrested at the airport on suspicion of human trafficking for forced marriage.
According to police, the woman's Spanish passport was seized upon arrival in Pakistan and she was confined to a family home, despite her opposition to the arranged marriage. The woman's partner reported her abduction to the police in April, mentioning that members of her family had taken her to Pakistan. This incident comes in the wake of Barcelona's sizeable Pakistani community, with over 26,000 registered residents.
In 2026, Catalonia's regional government identified two forced marriage victims among human trafficking cases in the region up to July 21. The investigation into the forced marriage and her partner's assault remains open as authorities work to identify all parties involved.
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