RAWALPINDI: Five victims of an organ trafficking ring operating in Rawalpindi were medically examined at the Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) to verify their claim that their kidneys were stolen.

The five victims, including 30-year-old Shahida Parveen from Mandi Bahauddin, were brought to the hospital by the police under tight security. No one was allowed to talk to them and they were later moved to an undisclosed location.

“The doctors verified that all five victims were operated on and their kidneys were stolen,” the police investigating officer told Dawn.

He said that the medical report will be presented before the district vigilance committee (DVC) along with the police investigation report during its next session, which is likely to be held within a couple of days.

The five victims appeared before the DVC on Saturday as well and recorded their statements.

The DVC is headed by the district coordination officer and consists of the district police officer, district officer intelligence bureau, district officer special branch, executive officer health, the principal of a medical college and the medical superintendent of the District Headquarters Hospital.

One of the victims, Shahida Parveen said she had met a member of the organ trafficking ring, Mohammad Tufail, when she had come to Rawalpindi to collect alms.

In her statement recorded with the police, she said she was told to go to a kidney centre where she would be given a large amount of money as charity. She was taken to the private hospital where two doctors convinced her to sell one of her kidneys for a handsome amount. In her statement, she said she was then taken to the operation theatre where her kidney was taken out, for which she was given Rs90,000.

Another one of the victims is Mohammad Mushtaq who is a daily wage labourer and came to Rawalpindi from his native Khanawal for a better life some 18 months ago.

He met Mohammad Tufail when he came to Rawalpindi, who promised him a good job at the kidney centre in Morgah. In his statement, Mr Mushtaq said his kidney was removed at the hospital and that he was given Rs90,000 and told to go home.

Asghar Ali from Lohi Bhair is also a daily wage labourer and was waiting at the Soan Bus bay when Mohammad Tufail approached him and took him to the private clinic where he was given Rs50,000 for his kidney.

Mohammad Inayat is from Mandi Bahauddin and is the father of two girls. He came to Rawalpindi some seven months ago in search of a better job and was sitting with other labourers in Chandni Chowk when he was taken to the private clinic and deprived of his kidney.

Also from Mandi Bahauddin, Zafar Iqbal came to Rawalpindi six months ago for in search for a better life and was trapped by the organ trafficking ring who took out his kidney at the private hospital.

The organ trafficking ring was uncovered by the police last month and 20 men and four women being detained by the gang in a commercial building in Bahria Town Phase VII were recovered.

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2016