Spanish woman rescued after alleged forced marriage scheme in Pakistan

Spanish authorities announced that a woman who had been misled into traveling to Pakistan and forced into a marriage was rescued and repatriated to Spain. According to a police statement, a family member told her in September 2025 that her relatives no longer objected to her relationship with a Pakistani man living in Spain, prompting her trip. Upon arrival, she allegedly had her Spanish passport confiscated and was compelled to marry a cousin she did not choose.

Her boyfriend in Spain reported the situation in April, after which two men in their 40s were detained at Barcelona airport in July on suspicion of facilitating the forced marriage. Police, in coordination with Spain’s embassy in Pakistan, arranged her safe return, and the investigation continues to identify all participants.