FAISALABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency has unearthed a private hospital in the city allegedly involved in illegal kidney transplant and arrested 11 people, including the ‘donor’ and the patient.

According to officials, an FIA team raided a private hospital on Satiana Road where an illegal kidney transplant procedure was underway.

The FIA took into custody the doctors and paramedics conducting the transplant surgery and also seized video recording of the procedure.

FIA Additional Director Sajid Akram said the raid was conducted over violation of the Human Organs Transplant Act (HOTA).

He said 11 suspects, including doctors, paramedics and agents were arrested.

According to Rescue 1122 sources, Zainab Ahmad, 35, is the recipient and 19-year-old Ibrar has been identified as donor.

FIA sources said the network involved in the scam had been operating across Punjab and their agents would lure those in need of kidney transplant to the hospital.

They said the hospital owner had been receiving hefty sums from the recipients and giving only a meager amount to the ‘donors’.

Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2018