KP police rescue foreign woman and children in Bara, arrest husband in abuse case

KHYBER: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police said on Monday they had recovered a foreign woman and her children from a house in Bara and arrested her husband after she accused him of domestic abuse and physical torture.

According to the police account, the woman submitted a written complaint to the Khyber district police officer on June 18, stating that she and her children had been living in extremely difficult circumstances for the past 12 years. She alleged that her husband had subjected them to domestic abuse and violence, deprived them of their freedom, and failed to discharge his responsibilities as a husband and father.

In her complaint, the woman alleged that the abuse was routine and had left visible injuries on family members. She said “He beats us and puts pressure on our lives on a daily basis. We have scars on our faces and other parts of our bodies due to his violent outbursts”.

She also asked the police to register a criminal case against her husband. Police said an FIR was lodged the same day under sections 337, 342 and 506 of the Pakistan Penal Code, as well as under the KP Domestic Violence against Women (Prevention and Protection) Act, 2021.

Raid and rescue

Police said the action was carried out on the directives of the district police officer. The Bara station house officer raided the house where the complainant was living, rescued the woman and her children, and shifted them to a women’s police station for protection. Her husband was taken into custody during the operation, according to police.

In a video recorded by police, the complainant, speaking in a mix of English and Pashto, said she had married her husband, who is from the area, in 2014 and had been living in Bara since then. She thanked the police for rescuing her and said she wanted to be sent back to her country of origin.

Background on violence cases

The development comes against the backdrop of concerns over violence against women and children in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In its annual report on the state of human rights in the province for 2024, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said there had been a significant increase in violence against women and children.

A 2025 study also found that, on average, 7.6 women in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa approach the police each day to report violence.