November 23, 2006	Thursday	Ziqa'ad 1, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 22: The Supreme Court Wednesday directed strict action against the illegal donors, sellers and buyers of human organs and asked the Attorney General to inform the court whether any legislation was available to discourage this alarming trend in the country.

A three-member bench of the apex court, comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Justice Muhammad Nawaz Abbasi and Justice Saiyed Saeed Ashhad, passed these orders while hearing a complaint of Muhammad Amjad on a suo motu notice.

The complainant has alleged that during operation in a Rawalpindi hospital one of his kidneys was removed by the members of a mafia involved in trade of human organs. He requested the court to order a probe into the matter and punish those involved in this unholy business.

The court also served notices on Attorney General Makhdoom Ali Khan, Federal Health Secretary Anwar Mehmood and the four advocates general (AGs) to appear before the court on December 15 and take steps to discourage this illegal business throughout the country.

The bench also directed a strict action against the doctors involved in this business and observed that only the family of the patient could donate organs.

The court also sought a copy of a documentary aired by a private TV channel about a Punjab village where the entire population was living on one kidney after selling the other.

Deputy Superintendent Police, Bahawalpur, told the bench that all the accused in the case namely Mohammad Boota, Shahzad, Ishaque, Nawaz and Dr Major (retd) Khalid Farooq had been acquitted by the district and sessions judge, Bahawalpur, after the parties reached a compromise.

The court expressed its displeasure at this and directed the court concerned to submit comments on the release of the accused. The court also directed the district prosecutor to move an appeal against the orders of the trial court. The accused were also directed to appear before the court on the next date of hearing.

At the last hearing, the court had directed sessions judge, Bahawalpur, to try the case of Amjad and dispose of the matter within three months by identifying the culprits.

The sessions judge was also directed to investigate the charges of the complainant against DSP Yazman, Rana Azam and SHO of area police station of harassment.