Mossos d’Esquadra arrested, this Thursday, the father of two Terrassa sisters (Barcelona) who were killed in Pakistan in May, amid an alleged plot to kill them, according to informed sources cited by Europa Press. Authorities confirm that the investigation is examining the accused man’s possible involvement in orchestrating the fatal events from abroad, with prosecutors and police units coordinating to determine any link between the family’s movements and the crime.
As reported by El País, ongoing inquiries are examining the man’s role in what appears to be a broader scheme involving deceit. The sisters reportedly traveled to Pakistan under the premise of visiting family, while there may have been additional motives linked to personal arrangements that did not reflect the stated purpose of the trip. The investigative narrative remains unsettled, with authorities pursuing a clearer picture of how the journey unfolded and who may have profited from the alleged plan. In the meantime, family members in Barcelona and Pakistan are cooperating with investigators to uncover the truth behind the disappearances and the violence that followed.
In Pakistan, Punjab police have detained seven relatives of the deceased young woman who is believed to have been the target of the crime. Among those arrested are two brothers and two husbands who were at home at the time of the incident. The arrests underscore the complex family dynamics and the potential for intimate-partner conflicts to escalate into fatal outcomes in certain contexts.
forced marriage
During a recent interview with Europa Press, Mirza Salman, the Pakistani consul in Barcelona at the time, provided context about the marriages involved. He explained that the two sisters had been married to their cousins in Pakistan but had filed for divorce. He noted that more than a year had passed since the sisters left their home to live with other couples in Barcelona, signaling a separation from their family environment and a possible shift in their social and legal status. These details help frame questions about whether coercive family pressure or cultural expectations contributed to the tragedy, even as investigators seek to establish the exact chain of events that led to the slayings.
According to the consul, the brothers reportedly did not acknowledge other relationships, a factor that may have fueled tensions within the extended family. It is alleged that the sisters were lured to Pakistan under false pretenses, and on May 20 the brother is accused of killing them. The case highlights the dangers faced by women in the region who attempt to assert independence or leave arranged marriages, raising concerns about the protection mechanisms available to migrants and domestic violence survivors alike.
At the time of the incident, the sisters’ mother fled to another city in Pakistan. A cousin then contacted the Pakistani police and the Consulate in Barcelona to assist the mother and her young son in returning to Catalonia. This development underscores the transnational nature of the case, with authorities in multiple jurisdictions working to safeguard affected family members and ensure due process as more information becomes available.
Broader conversations surrounding such tragedies often touch on the social and legal frameworks that govern arranged and forced marriages, migration, and women’s safety across borders. While authorities pursue clarifications about the motivations and collaborators in this specific case, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities that can accompany arranged unions and cross-border family ties. The parties involved have stressed the importance of safeguarding survivors and providing support to families as investigations progress and justice mechanisms take their course.
As the investigation unfolds, analysts note the importance of clear, evidence-based reporting to prevent speculation from clouding the facts. The case remains a focal point for discussions about migrant protection, gender-based violence, and the role of consular services in assisting citizens abroad. Reporting by multiple outlets continues to follow official statements and court processes to ensure that the public receives accurate information while respecting due process for those accused and the families affected by these grievous events, with attribution to the respective agencies and organizations involved in the inquiry.