Pakistani women married to Chinese
شادی یا سودا؟ Pakistani Women Married to Chinese Men
In 2019, an Associated Press investigation reported that Pakistani investigators had compiled a list of 629 Pakistani girls and women who had married Chinese men and travelled to China.
But what actually happened to them?
In this investigation, Adil Raja examines the documented Pakistan–China marriage controversy: why women from economically vulnerable communities—particularly some Christian families—were targeted by marriage brokers; the money allegedly changing hands; China’s demographic gender imbalance; allegations of deception, abuse and trafficking; the FIA crackdown; subsequent acquittals; and China’s rejection of key allegations.
Most importantly, the story did not simply disappear after 2019.
Reporting published in 2025 documented more recent broker-arranged marriages, and Pakistani authorities continued investigating suspected marriage-linked trafficking cases.
⚠️ Important: Marriage between Pakistani women and Chinese men is neither illegal nor inherently exploitative. Genuine and successful marriages exist. This programme distinguishes consensual marriages from documented allegations of fraudulent matchmaking, coercion, and trafficking.
In this vlog:
- The mysterious list of 629 Pakistani women
- Why marriage brokers targeted poor families
- Why Christian communities appeared prominently in investigations
- China’s shortage of women and demographic imbalance
- How much money brokers allegedly charged
- What Pakistani women reported after reaching China
- FIA raids and arrests
- Why major prosecutions collapsed
- China’s response to the allegations
- Why similar cases were still appearing years later
- The unanswered question: where are the 629 women today?
Sources discussed include reporting and material from Associated Press, Human Rights Watch, US trafficking reports, Pakistani media, Chinese government statements, and subsequent investigative reporting.
Credit: Soldier Speaks: Adil Raja
