Police raid in Bara frees French family
In a dramatic raid conducted by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police, a French national named Sylvie Yasmina and her five children were rescued from a cramped, dilapidated room in their Bara home. Authorities say the husband, a Pakistani national, held the family captive for twelve years, denying them freedom, basic school education for the older children, and subjecting them to daily violence.
Yasmina’s son assisted the police by filing a report, after which officers entered the house. They found the family with bruises covering their bodies, indicating physical abuse. The police subsequently transferred the victims to a women’s shelter in Peshawar and confirmed plans for the family to return to France.
The husband’s alleged “effective imprisonment” of the family began after their move from Australia to Pakistan in 2014. Yasmina claims she lost all contact with the outside world and endured daily hardships. Police confirmed that the husband resided illegally in Australia at the time of the marriage in 2003.
Local authorities have not identified the husband’s name but have seized the case as a significant domestic‑abuse incident that must be addressed under international law. Post‑rescue, the family is receiving medical care for injuries sustained during their confinement.
