LAHORE: The Federal Investigation Agency on Monday busted a gang involved in illegal human organ trade.

The suspects would take recipients and donors to India and China after charging hefty sum of money from them.

FIA Lahore Deputy Director Jamil Ahmad Khan Mayo told Dawn that a team on a tip-off arrested four members of the gang. They are Ifan Munir of Sahiwal, Muhammad Hanif of Okara, Ali Hanif of Lahore and Mubashar Hussain of Gujrat.

“We are raiding for the arrest of their accomplices, including Dr Azizur Rehman of the Pak Heath Care Hospital, Shah Jamal, Lahore,” he added.

Mr Mayo said the gang had taken some 40 recipients and donors to New Delhi and Beijing during the past few years. He said initial interrogation revealed that the agents were in league with Indian doctors in New Delhi.

“People are induced for transplantation of kidney and liver in China and India. The gang would receive Rs10 million from the recipients and paid a small amount to donors,” he said, adding an amount of $36,000 had been recovered from the suspects.

Mr Mayo said the Indian doctors would visit Pakistan for consultancy and marketing in connivance with the local doctors and agents. “Bogus documents -- birth certificate, affidavit, family registration certificate -- showing blood relationship between donor and recipient and others are managed and prepared illegally for issuance of visa and subsequent submission in Indian hospitals. Fake attestations of authorities are also managed,” the FIA official said.

Mr Mayo said the FIA would write to India and China bringing the matter to their notice as well.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2018