Woman rescued from forced marriage in Pakistan, two men arrested in Spain

A woman who was allegedly deceived into travelling to Pakistan and forced to marry a cousin has been rescued and returned to Spain, police said on Saturday.

Two men aged 41 and 45 were arrested at Barcelona airport on July 21 on suspicion of human trafficking for forced marriage.

How was the woman rescued from forced marriage in Pakistan?

Spanish police worked with Spain's embassy in Pakistan to locate the woman and organize her rescue and return to Spain. She received specialist support after returning, according to Catalonia's regional police, who said the investigation remained open as they worked to identify everyone involved.

The woman travelled to Pakistan in September 2025 after a relative allegedly told her that her family had dropped its opposition to her relationship with a Pakistani national who owns a computer shop in Barcelona. Once there, relatives allegedly confiscated her Spanish passport, confined her to a family home and arranged her marriage to a cousin despite her opposition.

Why were two men arrested in connection with the case?

Her partner reported to police in April that she had been forcibly taken to Pakistan by members of her family. He had previously been attacked with a bladed weapon in Barcelona by two men allegedly linked to the case, prompting the investigation that led to the July 21 arrests at Barcelona airport.

Barcelona has a sizeable Pakistani community, with more than 26,000 Pakistani nationals registered in the city. This makes it the third-largest foreign nationality group in Barcelona after Italians and Colombians.