03 November 2004	Wednesday	19 Ramazan 1425

KARACHI, Nov 2: The Edhi Foundation has claimed that its child adoption cell receives around 100 babies through its 37 cradles in the city every year.

Anwer Kazmi, 70, who has been serving for the last 35 years with the Edhi Foundation, told newsmen on Tuesday that the foundation had handed over more than 15,300 babies to Pakistani couples mostly residing in European countries since its incpetion.

In all, he said, the foundation recieved 250 babies annually through its cradles from different parts of the country. However, he said that the number might increase to 300 this year. He said that 98 per cent of the babies received at Edhi were female.

According to him, the Edhi Foundation has a system to receive applications from desired childless couples and after interviews they are being given babies for adoption.

He said that the number of dead bodies of unwanted babies could be higher than what we used to receive.-PPI