Islam absolutely forbids forced marriage. Arranged marriage with full consent is permissible. Here is the complete Islamic and legal guide to the difference and women's rights.
Forced marriage is haram. A nikah contracted without the free, willing consent of both parties — especially the bride — is invalid in all four madhabs. This is not ambiguous. It is not disputed. It is one of the clearest rulings in Islamic marriage law.
The Prophet ﷺ was approached by women whose guardians had forced them into marriages without consent. In every narrated case, he gave them the right to annul the marriage. One narration: a virgin came to the Prophet ﷺ and said her father had forced her into marriage. The Prophet ﷺ gave her the choice. (Abu Dawud 2096)
All of these are forms of coercion that invalidate consent. A "yes" obtained under any of these conditions is not valid Islamic consent.
Arranged marriage — where the family identifies a suitable match, introduces the couple, facilitates meetings, and supports the marriage — is completely halal and is the Sunnah model. The difference is consent: in arranged marriage, the woman (and man) retain the full, free right to refuse without consequence. The family proposes; the children decide.
The corruption of arranged marriage in Pakistani culture has often been that the "arrangement" carries implicit or explicit threats that make refusal impossible. This is where arranged marriage becomes forced marriage — and becomes haram.
Your nikah may be invalid under Islamic law. Seek guidance from a trustworthy, independent qualified scholar — not a scholar affiliated with or pressured by your family. In Pakistan, you have legal rights: NADRA can register a nikah but cannot verify consent quality; however, the Family Courts Act and Muslim Family Laws Ordinance 1961 provide remedies. Contact Dastak, Pawla, or the National Commission for the Status of Women for legal support.