ISLAMABAD: Despite repeated requests from Senator Mian Ateeq Shaikh to pass legislation on human organ donation, the Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice has given the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) two months to comment on it.

The bill, titled The Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment) Bill 2018, was reported by the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services (NHS) last month.

The chair of the NHS standing committee, Senator Shaikh, said at a meeting of the law and justice committee on Tuesday that under the bill adults would be asked if they want to register as human organ donors, and what organs they would like to donate, when they visit the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) for a CNIC.

HOTA representative tells senators 18-year-olds would need next of kin’s consent to register as organ donors

“A comprehensive debate was held during the previous parliamentary tenure and after seeking opinions from religious circles and considering practices in other Muslim countries, the bill was passed by the National Assembly and sent to the upper house. However, as the tenure of the former National Assembly has been completed, after passage in Senate the bill will be sent to the National Assembly again to be voted on,” he said.

Senator Shaikh said a number of organs have to be removed within a limited timeframe after death, which is why the bill suggests stating whether an individual is a donor on the CNIC. This way organs could be removed just after death, or as soon as a body is brought to the hospital.

“This is being already implemented in countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran. Moreover, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation has given a religious verdict that human organs can be transplanted. Mohammad Muneebur Rehman has also given a religious verdict in its favour. Moreover, Sri Lanka has earned respect across the globe as it is the biggest donor of eye corneas. On the other hand, in Pakistan human organs are sold in black market,” he said.

Nadra Chairman Usman Yousaf Mobin said it would not be a problem to include a question on consent regarding organ donation but there would be problems with printing the card. However, he said Nadra would look into it.

The committee chair, Senator Javed Abbasi, left the meeting due to an engagement at Parliament House. He left Senator Farooq Hamid Naek to chair the meeting in his absence.

Senator Naek remarked that an 18-year-old “child” could not decide whether to donate his organs. To this, Dr Imran from the Human Organ Transplant Authority (HOTA) said it was not mandatory for everyone to donate their organs.

He also said an 18-year-old could not decide whether to register as an organ donor, and that at this age consent would also be sought from next of kin. He said CNICs are renewed, and citizens could change their mind every time a card is renewed.

Senator Naek also said the CII’s opinion should be sought on whether a person can donate his organs, and asked CII Chairman Dr Qibla Ayaz’s for his opinion.

Dr Ayaz, however, said the opinion has to be sought from the 20-member council, and it will take two months to call a meeting in this regard. He said research would also be carried out for a final opinion.

Although Mr Shaikh insisted that the bill should be passed rather than delayed, the committee chair gave the CII two months to give its opinion on the matter. The chair also gave the Ministry of Law a month to give its opinion.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2019