A French woman who had been held captive in Pakistan for 12 years has been rescued, but questions are mounting over why it took so long for the French embassy to act. The woman, identified only as Marie, was found in a remote village in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to Pakistani authorities. She had been taken there after a family dispute, local police said. The rescue came after months of pressure from human rights groups and what sources describe as 'repeated failures' by the French diplomatic mission in Islamabad.
Marie was 24 when she was last seen in 2012, visiting her husband's family in Pakistan. Her family in France reported her missing within weeks, but the French embassy did not officially intervene until 2018, according to documents seen by this newspaper. During that time, she was allegedly moved between villages and denied contact with the outside world.
When asked about the delay, a French foreign ministry spokesman said: 'We take this case very seriously. Our consular services were engaged, but we had to follow local procedures.' However, critics say the embassy could have done more. 'Twelve years is a lifetime,' said Anne-Sophie Moreau, a Paris-based lawyer representing the family. 'The embassy knew about her situation from 2013, but they did not press Pakistani authorities to act until 2020.'
Pakistani officials counter that they did not have enough evidence to launch a search. 'We were not provided with specific details of her location until recently,' said a senior police officer in Peshawar. 'Once we had the information, we acted quickly.'
Marie was found living in a two-room mud house with no electricity or running water. She was malnourished and suffering from severe depression, according to medical reports. 'She was a ghost of the woman we knew,' her mother told French television. 'She could barely speak, and she flinched at every sound.'
The rescue has sparked a broader debate about diplomatic responsibility. 'This is not an isolated case,' said Raza Khan, a human rights activist in Islamabad. 'Many families fall through the cracks when their loved ones go missing abroad, because embassies are too slow to act.'
The French foreign ministry has promised a full review of its consular procedures. But for Marie's family, the damage is done. 'We have her back, but she is broken,' her mother said. 'We need to know why it took 12 years.'
As the story unfolds, there are calls for an independent inquiry into the embassy's handling of the case. Marie is now in a secure location in Islamabad, receiving medical care. Her family is fundraising for her repatriation, as the embassy has not offered financial assistance. 'We are grateful she is alive,' her lawyer said. 'But this rescue should have happened years ago.'
This is a live story, and it will be updated as more information becomes available.
